The Cleveland Browns find themselves in an all-too-familiar situation heading into the 2026 NFL season. At this time, they have not publicly named a starting quarterback, which opens the door to a QB competition between Shedeur Sanders, Dillion Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson. The door isn’t closed for the Browns to add another quarterback to the mix, either, so that’s still a possibility.
The Browns had been linked to some of the less expensive free agents when the offseason opened, as it seemed like they were going to target a veteran to round out their quarterback room. Among the names mentioned was former Browns QB Joe Flacco, who is in the twilight of his career, but recently signed a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Flacco had been something of a crutch for the Browns, as he’s a low-cost option that has served as a meaningful backup. It might have been tempting for the Browns to re-sign him, but as analyst Carter Bahns wrote in a recent article on CBS Sports, it was in their best interest to stay away.
“Verdict: Better off with Sanders, Gabriel,” Bahns wrote. “Flacco opened 2025 as the Cleveland Browns’ starter before they traded him to their in-state foe and turned the page to a pair of rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Neither of the youngsters looked all that convincing as long-term solutions to this constant revolving door of quarterbacks, but the Browns likely feel it is too early to cut bait. They figure to lose with either second-year player or Flacco running the offense, so they might as well try to develop Sanders and Gabriel in the process. It’s bleak.”
As Bahns mentioned, the Browns’ best option at this point might be to stick with who’s currently on the roster and hope that things get better over the coming weeks and months. The coaching staff didn’t have much faith in Gabriel last year, and they couldn’t get a strong gauge on Watson given his injuries. Sanders had his moments, but he didn’t play well enough down the stretch for them to automatically give him the starting job.
With all of that in mind, it could be another difficult year for the Browns in this area, especially if none of these players give them the upside they’re hoping for. Flacco would have likely been just a one-year solution anyhow, and with the 2027 NFL Draft said to be loaded with high-end quarterbacks, it might be the right year to stand pat and hope for better things next season.
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