Who will end up winning in the Browns’ QB race?
Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Joe Flacco (15) and Shedeur Sanders (12) talk during practice at NFL football minicamp in Berea, Ohio, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
With Shedeur Sanders set to start the Cleveland Browns’ preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers this weekend, is this a sign he will be part of the team’s roster going into the new season?
The high-profile rookie, who shockingly fell to the Browns in the fifth round of this year’s draft, is one of a selection of quarterbacks, all battling to become the new QB for the team following Deshaun Watson’s disastrous reign.
In fact, Sanders was the second quarterback the Browns picked behind Dillon Gabriel, who was taken in the third round, and the two rookies have been in a competition for Cleveland’s QB1 spot along with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Former Pro Bowler Tyler Huntley also signed with the team this week.
The current options
Cleveland’s quarterback arsenal provides a mix of experience, youth, and reclamation potential, but it also risks inefficiency in a position that demands clarity. Here is a breakdown:
| Quarterback | Background | Strengths | Concerns | Projected Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Flacco | Veteran free agent signee; Super Bowl winner with Ravens | Leadership, deep-ball accuracy; stabilised Browns in past stints | Age (40); limited mobility; not a long-term solution | Starter |
| Kenny Pickett | Acquired via trade from Steelers; former first-round pick | Pocket presence; quick release; upside from college success | Injury history (current hamstring); inconsistent NFL production; turnover-prone | Backup/Challenger |
| Dillon Gabriel | 3rd-round rookie from Oregon | Dual-threat ability; high college completion rate; arm strength | Limited pro experience; recent practice restrictions; competition from Sanders | Developmental/Backup |
| Shedeur Sanders | 5th-round rookie from Colorado; son of Deion Sanders | Poise under pressure; accuracy (Golden Arm Award winner); high football IQ | Draft fall due to character questions; recent arm soreness; adapting to NFL speed | Developmental/Backup |
| Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley | Recent signee; former Pro Bowler with Ravens | Mobile; proven backup; familiarity with similar offences | Signed as injury insurance; not a starter-calibre option; could be expendable | Challenger/Backup |
This group offers versatility, but the Browns’ history of QB instability—exacerbated by Watson’s failed tenure—means they must prioritise chemistry and health.
As the Browns navigate one of the NFL’s most crowded and chaotic quarterback rooms, the competition has intensified since minicamp. Back then, the focus was on stabilising the position after Watson’s departure, with early reports highlighting an acceptable setup featuring Flacco’s experience, Pickett’s upside from the trade acquisition, and the raw potential of rookies Gabriel and Sanders. By late June, position previews emphasised the ongoing battle, noting that whilst training camp would clarify roles, the group offered enough depth to avoid the pitfalls of past quarterback disasters in Cleveland.
Bar Flacco, these contenders don’t boast credible NFL starting experience, but one could argue that the Browns have been some what aggressive in their offseason moves, including trading for Pickett as a reclamation project and doubling down on rookies in the draft. They’ve picked up a lot of QBs, surely one of them has to be a good fit?
Nonetheless, rankings peg Cleveland’s QB chart among the league’s worst, citing uncertainty and injury doubts, which have only complicated matters in recent weeks. Pickett’s hamstring issue has kept him out, limiting his ability to build momentum, and Gabriel has been restricted in practices.
This paved the way for Sanders to emerge, with reports indicating he is outperforming expectations and actually crushing Gabriel’s chances in camp drills. Updated stats from camp show Sanders is starting to hold his own against veterans and actually compete, boosting his case despite his draft slide. The Browns’ first unofficial depth chart listed Flacco as QB1 and Pickett as the backup, with Sanders lower down, but his preseason start suggests a potential shake-up.
The signing of Huntley, a former Ravens and Dolphins quarterback, adds another layer. Announced amid the injury woes, it is seen as a depth move to ensure the team can weather the storm through preseason. With five QBs now on the roster—an unusually high number for any NFL team—the Browns face tough decisions as roster cuts loom before the September regular-season kickoff.
Most likely to leave before the season
With NFL teams typically carrying only 2-3 quarterbacks on the active roster (plus perhaps one on the practice squad), cuts are inevitable.
Despite, only recently joining Huntley stands out as the most likely to depart. His signing feels reactionary, aimed at providing immediate camp depth amid injuries to Pickett and others. If Flacco, Pickett, and the rookies recover and perform, Huntley could be released or waived as a short-term band-aid, especially since he is not tied to long-term plans. Social media buzz on X echoes this, with fans viewing him as a ‘camp arm’, rather than a core piece.
Dillon Gabriel is a close second, if Sanders can do well while his peer remains injured in the battle between the rookies.
Flacco to start Week 1, but who in Week 18?
Joe Flacco remains the frontrunner to start the regular season, backed by his position atop the depth chart and veteran reliability in a win-now offence. Insiders point to him and Sanders as the top candidates, but Flacco’s experience gives him the edge in a division loaded with defences like the Steelers and Ravens.
That said, Sanders’ preseason start could accelerate his timeline if he impresses, potentially leapfrogging Pickett (whose injuries have stalled his progress) and Gabriel. The Browns’ bizarre situation with so many quarterbacks without a solidified depth order, means nothing is set in stone, but Flacco’s steady hand makes him the safest bet for Week 1.
As Sanders takes the field against Carolina, all eyes will be on whether this is a genuine audition or just injury-fuelled necessity. The Browns’ QB saga, brewing since June, is far from resolved—but it could define their 2025 fortunes.
