The Cleveland Browns won just three games in 2024. Three. This offseason, they’ve signed or acquired more quarterbacks than they had wins last year. That’s not a joke — it’s reality.
General Manager Andrew Berry has added Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, and most recently, Tyler Huntley, to a roster that still includes Deshaun Watson returning from injury. That’s six quarterbacks heading into the season — a crowded room that shows the Browns are desperate to fix the position.
Sanders, the rookie out of Colorado, had two options in Friday night’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers: go out and play well, or go lay an egg and give the Browns a reason to cut him. He chose the first option. His performance was sharp, decisive, and confident — the kind of outing that should put him in the real QB conversation.
It’s no secret this draft pick was Andrew Berry’s decision, not Jimmy Haslam’s. But the fear among some fans is that Haslam may already be leaning against Sanders as the future starter — much like how Haslam stuck with Watson last year until an Achilles injury forced a change. Haslam wants a Super Bowl ring in the worst way, and sometimes that urgency can cloud decision-making.
For now, the starting job is Flacco’s to lose. At 40 years old, he’s the safe bet for Week One against the Bengals. But Cleveland fans are restless. If Flacco misses three passes in a row or throws two interceptions in a game, chants for Sanders will echo through Cleveland Browns Stadium.
And there’s another layer — we haven’t even seen much from the other quarterbacks yet. What if Dillon Gabriel comes in and goes 14-for-17 for 130 yards and multiple touchdowns? Does the fan base suddenly jump on the Gabriel bandwagon? What about Kenny Pickett? Yes, we use the term “Super Bowl-winning quarterback” loosely in his case, but it’s still on his resume. And now, with Tyler Huntley added to the mix, the competition for snaps is even more intense.
Still, Sanders brings something the others don’t — fresh energy, untapped upside, and the ability to inject life into a franchise desperately in need of it. The Browns brought in six quarterbacks for a reason. If Sanders keeps proving himself every time he steps on the field, it’s only fair to give him a real shot at QB2 — and maybe, if the moment comes, QB1.
The Browns have nothing to lose by moving Sanders up the depth chart. But they might have a lot to gain.
