The Cleveland Browns have settled on veteran Joe Flacco as their Week 1 starter, but questions linger about the sustainability of that choice.
With Flacco nearing 41 years old, the decision has generated plenty of discussion about Cleveland’s quarterback depth and future plans.
Browns legend Hanford Dixon sees the logic in starting Flacco for now. He acknowledges the veteran still has enough left in the tank to compete.
But Dixon doubts Flacco can handle a full-season workload.
“There is no way that he’s (Joe Flacco) gonna start the whole season. I think at some point, Shedeur Sanders is gonna come in and he’s gonna take over this starting job,” Dixon said on his podcast.
"I think at some point Shedeur Sanders is gonna come in and he's gonna TAKE OVER this starting job."@HanfordDixon29 is CONFIDENT that Joe Flacco will not be the starting QB the whole season. #DawgPound
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— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) August 20, 2025
The Browns currently carry six quarterbacks on their roster, an unusually deep group that will face significant cuts soon.
Rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel both impressed in their preseason debuts. Gabriel was drafted 50 picks ahead of Sanders, giving him a slight edge on paper.
However, Sanders has turned heads since leaving Colorado.
Kenny Pickett adds another wrinkle to the situation. The former Steelers quarterback is dealing with a hamstring injury, which complicates roster decisions.
Keeping an injured quarterback active could put Cleveland in a tough spot.
The battle for the backup role has become one of the more compelling storylines heading into the regular season.
Cleveland must determine how many quarterbacks to carry and which ones deserve roster spots.
The Browns will conclude their preseason schedule at home against the Los Angeles Rams on August 23.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has called it a dress rehearsal for their September 7 opener against Cincinnati.
That game should provide final answers about the quarterback hierarchy before meaningful games begin.
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