The Cleveland Browns got the ball rolling this offseason by trading Dorian Thompson-Robinson for Kenny Pickett in what most people assumed was just a swap of backup quarterbacks.
Then, as the weeks went by, the QB market dried up.
The Browns eventually brought back fan favorite Joe Flacco, but given the timing, it looked more like an insurance policy and an afterthought than an actual need.
The Browns still raved about Pickett’s upside as a potential starter, and they added Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft.
That’s why, even though Flacco might be the best option to win right now, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report believes the veteran is also a cut candidate as the regular season gets closer.
“When the Browns signed Flacco to a one-year, $4 million contract in early April, it seemed he would be going heads-up in training camp with Kenny Pickett for the starting QB role vacated by an injured Deshaun Watson. That positional competition has since morphed into a four-way battle featuring a pair of rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders,” Kay wrote. “If Flacco doesn’t win the competition — which is possible given he’s the co-favorite alongside Pickett for the distinction — it makes little sense to allocate a coveted roster spot to a 40-year-old backup with zero upside remaining in his career.”
It’s hard to argue with that logic, mostly because the Browns already know what they’re going to get from Flacco.
If anything, he’s older, so he might not be able to do what he did for them in the past.
It’s also worth noting that the Browns have two first-round picks in the quarterback-heavy 2026 NFL Draft, so they may use this season to figure out whether their QB of the future is already on their roster.
That means giving all three younger quarterbacks a chance to prove their worth, making Flacco the odd man out.
Granted, it would make sense to keep him around as a veteran leader, mentor and insurance policy.
But with three other options and limited roster spots, the Browns might choose to move on from him.
NEXT: Shedeur Sanders Gets Honest About Performance In Camp
