The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback battle is one of the most intriguing and bizarre NFL storylines heading into the summer. Shedeur Sanders is one of four healthy quarterbacks competing for the starting job, but no one has established himself as the clear-cut leader.
With the summer break upon us, the quarterback competition will take a brief pause, but one ESPN analyst recently predicted how it will play out once Week 1 comes around.
ESPN’s Field Yates Says Browns’ Week 1 QB Likely Won’t Last Long as QB1
Cleveland needed a hard reset offensively after having a historically bad unit in 2024. The team revamped its quarterback room by trading for Kenny Pickett, signing Joe Flacco and selecting Dillion Gabriel and Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Deshaun Watson is still on the roster, but is not likely to play in 2025 after tearing his Achilles for a second time.
Sanders would have brought a lot of media attention to whichever team drafted him, but fitting him into an already crowded quarterback room was a recipe for a media circus. ESPN NFL analyst Field Yates recently discussed the team’s quarterback situation on ESPN Cleveland’s “The Daily Grossi” podcast and gave a discouraging prediction for whoever is named the Week 1 starter.
Yates said that the Browns’ quarterback competition is the No. 1 NFL storyline heading into the training camp.
“There’s a lot of heat,” Yates said. “There’s a lot of interest in that storyline specifically. I don’t think it’ll be decided quickly. It probably percolates for the entirety of training camp.”
“The bigger takeaway from the Browns’ quarterback competition is that whoever is the Week 1 starting quarterback, it’s almost like the countdown starts the minute Week 1 begins until the next player takes over,” Yates continued. “If the over/under was set at 2.5 quarterbacks starting for the Browns this year, probably taking the over there.”
Cleveland started four different quarterbacks last season. Watson opened the year with seven starts before suffering a torn Achilles. Jameis Winston brought plenty of excitement in his own seven starts, while Dorian Thompson-Robinson struggled in two appearances. Bailey Zappe rounded out the group, dropping his only start.
Breaking Down Browns’ QB Room: Does Anyone Have an Edge?
Pickett and Flacco are expected to battle for the Browns’ starting job. Pickett was traded to Cleveland after spending 2024 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He’ll get a Super Bowl 59 ring, but Pickett only started one game and threw for 291 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Flacco re-joins the Browns after a year with the Indianapolis Colts. The 17-year veteran quickly became a fan favorite after leading Cleveland to the playoffs in 2023. In eight games last season, Flacco threw for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Gabriel was one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football history, appearing in a record 64 games combined for UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon. He led the Ducks to an undefeated regular season and Big 10 championship in 2024, but was projected as a late-Day 3 pick. Cleveland ultimately selected him in the third round with the 94th overall pick.
Sanders had begun to establish himself in the QB battle with a strong performance in minicamp, but his recent speeding infractions have dampened his outlook. Yates’ prediction about the Week 1 starter will likely become true unless the Browns get off to a hot start in 2025. With so much uncertainty at the most important position, expect another long season in Cleveland.