The Cleveland Browns enter the 2024 season with one of the most complicated quarterback situations in the league. With Deshaun Watson sidelined for the year due to an Achilles injury, the team must find a starter from a crowded group of four candidates.
The Browns could lean on veteran Joe Flacco or their offseason trade acquisition, Kenny Pickett, to lead the offense. Alternatively, they might turn to late-round draft picks Dillon Gabriel, selected in the third round, or Shedeur Sanders, taken in the fifth round, to take the reins under center.
Despite these options, one analyst doubts any of the current quarterbacks are the long-term solution. He predicts that Cleveland will ultimately find their franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cleveland Browns Quarterback Carousel Could Spin Again in 2026 Draft
Flacco is the most experienced name in the group, but Sanders has become a fan favorite and a popular option. So far, through rookie training camp, organized team activities (OTAs), and mandatory minicamp, head coach Kevin Stefanski has not revealed a clear preference.
Based on offseason stats from OTAs and minicamp from the ESPN Cleveland account on X, the competition among the four quarterbacks was extremely close. Their completions, touchdowns, and interceptions are as follows:
- Flacco: 18-for-35, two touchdowns, zero interceptions
- Sanders: 41-for-53, nine touchdowns, one interception
- Pickett: 38-for-63, seven touchdowns, zero interceptions
- Gabriel: 48-for-83, eight touchdowns, zero interceptions
Here are the QB totals from the 5 Browns open media practices (OTAs and minicamp) this spring.
Who do you think should be the Browns QB1? pic.twitter.com/daBfqHvn58
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 12, 2025
While the numbers don’t provide a complete picture, they can offer some insight into what the future holds for the Browns at the quarterback position. However, regardless of who emerges as the winner, PFSN NFL Draft analyst Joe DeLeone believes none are the correct long-term answer.
Instead, in his latest mock draft, he projects Cleveland to have the first overall pick and has them selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
In 2024, Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns, proving to be more effective as a passer, while rushing for under 200 yards and scoring only four touchdowns over his first two seasons.
“Fernando Mendoza may not be a household name right now, but by the start of the 2026 NFL Draft cycle, he’ll be one of the most highly sought-after prospects,” Deleone wrote. “While at Cal in 2024, Mendoza flashed natural playmaking ability and a powerful arm. If the Cleveland Browns are resetting at quarterback, taking a player with tools is the route.”
At the moment, it is impossible to predict if Cleveland has an answer at the quarterback spot, especially in the long term. However, if their season ends with the worst record in the league, then finding their answer in a loaded quarterback class has to be the way forward.