The Cleveland Browns face a quarterback dilemma that extends far beyond just the position itself.
Joe Flacco’s veteran leadership commands respect throughout the locker room, but his struggles under pressure have become increasingly apparent.
The 40-year-old quarterback often fails to elevate the talent around him when games are on the line.
Cleveland’s receiving corps lacks consistent big-play threats, making it nearly impossible to stretch defenses vertically.
Following their Week 3 victory over the Green Bay Packers, the Browns appear committed to staying with Flacco as their starter.
Not everyone supports this decision, including local analyst Bruce Drennan, who delivered sharp criticism on his recent podcast.
“This does not change my opinion about Stefanski sticking with Flacco. Now, he’s obviously gonna stick with Flacco against Detroit, because we won this game. But we’re going nowhere. And if you think this is gonna be like two years ago, which was a miracle season, with Flacco leading us to the playoffs, you’re badly mistaken. It’s not gonna happen,” Drennan said.
"We're going nowhere."
Bruce does NOT agree with Kevin Stefanski's decision to stick with Flacco, and wants to see the rookies get a shot. #DawgPound
Presented by #mentornissan https://t.co/ouNQklEmQD pic.twitter.com/CeAjvrfFeG
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) September 25, 2025
Head coach Kevin Stefanski and new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees have yet to discover effective solutions through scheme adjustments or personnel changes.
The creativity many expected from this partnership has been largely absent through the early weeks.
Drennan raises valid concerns about Cleveland’s ceiling with their current approach. However, sticking with Flacco might represent the organization’s safest strategy for now.
This approach allows rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders additional development time without facing immediate pressure in difficult situations.
The Browns’ path to competitiveness depends on several factors beyond quarterback play.
Their defense must maintain its dominant early-season performance while the offensive line finds stability through trades or internal improvement.
Most importantly, the offense needs to limit costly turnovers and penalties that have plagued recent games.
Until Cleveland’s supporting cast improves significantly, a quarterback change likely won’t solve their underlying offensive issues.
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