The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation during the 2025 offseason is anything but ordinary. Four quarterbacks fighting for spots have fans and analysts guessing about who takes the QB1 job, and whether the team will even try to keep all four on the final roster. Pressure is mounting on every throw, with hopes and careers hanging in the balance.
Why Did the Cleveland Browns Build Such a Crowded Quarterback Room?
Most teams head into training camp with a quarterback competition, but the Browns have taken it further, putting four arms in the mix and sparking debate all over Cleveland. While some fans are rooting for the team to keep every quarterback on board, head coach Kevin Stefanski recently made comments that have many thinking their favorite might be on the chopping block.
The backstory goes back to 2022, when the Browns made a major trade for Deshaun Watson. Things turned complicated, though, as Watson missed time for a suspension, then found himself sidelined again due to injuries. Now, he’s still listed on Cleveland’s roster, but after surgery on a ruptured Achilles, he’s likely to miss the 2025 campaign.
This left Browns fans expecting the team to use their second overall pick on Shedeur Sanders to bring in a new franchise centerpiece. That draft night didn’t go as predicted. Instead, Cleveland traded the pick, then waited until the third round to select Dillon Gabriel. By then, the buzz was all about Sanders still being available. Finally, the Browns made another twist and grabbed Sanders in the fifth round.
🔥 Browns Will Not Keep 4QBs. Coach Stefanski Opens Up
“We’ll let it play out. I’d like to keep everybody, but not realistic” https://t.co/2JH9Tppopb pic.twitter.com/Wl4VfA1GF1
— JaKi 🇺🇸 (@JaKiTruth) August 17, 2025
Now, Gabriel and Sanders are set to team up with veteran quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. This lineup has everyone talking, since it’s easily one of the most unique quarterback rooms in recent NFL memory. A lot of fans are already calling for Sanders to move straight to QB1. However, in a recent interview, Stefanski made it clear that nothing is decided yet.
“I think we’ll let it play out as we get closer to the cut down. Those are all conversations that we are always having, but those are tough decisions. You know, I’d like to keep everybody, but not realistic,” said Stefanski to the media on Sunday.
How Will Kevin Stefanski Decide Which Browns Quarterbacks Make the Cut?
With the preseason rolling on, the signs seem to point toward Flacco leading the way as the starter, with Pickett slotted in as QB2, and either Gabriel or Sanders as the third-string option. Normally, a higher draft slot would give a player more security, but plenty of NFL insiders are saying Sanders might actually have the edge in raw talent.
Ahead of the draft, the Browns had signaled a willingness to keep all four quarterbacks, but Stefanski’s latest words suggest those plans could shift. As the last preseason games tick down, the focus in Cleveland will be squarely on this quarterback battle, with plenty of questions about who stays and who goes once the roster gets trimmed down.
