The Cleveland Browns have four big-name quarterbacks on the roster, but that probably won’t be the case by the time Week 1 rolls around. Cleveland spent the offseason throwing darts at the quarterback position and hoping something would stick, acquiring veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett while pairing them with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
While each player has their own case for a roster spot, head coach Kevin Stefanski heavily suggested one of these players will not make the 53-man roster.
“I think we’ll let it play out as we get closer to the cut down,” Stefanski said to reporters. “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.”
Stefanski: “Not Realistic” For Browns to Keep Four Quarterbacks
It’s pretty easy to determine which of the Browns quarterbacks will not make the Week 1 roster. Stefanski recently named Joe Flacco the Week 1 starter, and the team won’t risk losing their rookie quarterbacks to waivers. This makes Pickett the odd-man out, and it’s hard to fault that decision.
Selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett spent his first two seasons playing underwhelming football with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After spending a year backing up Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia, the Browns brought him in to compete for the starting job. While he’s nobody’s idea of a franchise quarterback, he is a high-level backup who could be a short-term starter in the right organization.
Perhaps Cleveland could receive a Day 3 pick for his services as they enter the season with Flacco mentoring the two young quarterbacks. Even if the team keeps all four quarterbacks, Cleveland has to hope Pickett never sees the field.
Main Photo: Jeff Lange – Imagn Images
