The Cleveland Browns are set to have the NFL’s most interesting quarterback competition heading into the 2025 season, as you don’t often see a four-man competition for the Week 1 job with two rookies involved.
Cleveland has been quiet about the situation and appears to be willing to let it play itself out, and one analyst recently sent a big warning to head coach Kevin Stefanski about the competition.
On the air on Monday, ESPN Cleveland’s Chris Oldach said the players in the locker room are going to know who the best quarterback is, and that you can’t fool the players.
“You can’t fool the players, you can’t fool the locker room… the players are going to know who the best guy is,” Oldach said.
"You can't fool the players, you can't fool the locker room… the players are going to know who the best guy is," – @TheOGPAW on @ochocinco's Browns QB comments.
Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/uNXD25JVAo
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 16, 2025
That’s the most matter-of-fact way to put things, and it’s likely exactly how the quarterback competition will unfold.
The Browns are in no rush to make a decision, and that’s the proper approach when there are four quarterbacks in the room.
Everyone is excited about Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, but throwing them out there in Week 1 behind an offensive line that surrendered 66 sacks last year for a league-worst offense on a 3-14 season wouldn’t be wise.
Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett were brought in for a reason, and with how difficult the first half of the Browns’ schedule is in 2025, the most likely approach would be to wait to start one of them at least until the Week 9 bye.
Kevin Stefanski didn’t win two Coach of the Year awards accidentally, and fans should have full faith that he’ll make the right decision, as he has almost always done in the past.
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