The Cleveland Browns went from one dilemma at quarterback to another.
After watching Deshaun Watson struggle before suffering a season-ending injury, the Browns selected two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, signed one veteran, and traded for another.
Watson is expected to be sidelined for most of the upcoming campaign, meaning Cleveland has an opening for a new starter.
Former NFL player Cecil Shorts III believes Cleveland should give the rookies a chance to earn that job during the preseason.
“Joe [Flacco], in my opinion, just looking at the age, looking at what he did last year with Indianapolis, he probably can’t last a full season like he was once able to because of the older factor. He’s a placement guy. I’m looking at Kenny Pickett. He had his chances with Pittsburgh. He went to [Philadelphia] to be the backup. He’s not who we want him to be. Trying to sell us you believe in Kenny Pickett, don’t sell me that dream. Preseason, all I want to see is Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. I don’t want to see nobody else because those two guys need the opportunity to go win the job and then put them in the fire. Let them show what they can do,” Shorts said.
Gabriel was a somewhat surprising pick by the Browns in the third round, especially as analysts believed the team coveted Sanders.
The Browns were able to add Sanders by trading up in the fifth round, giving Cleveland two quarterbacks who had success in college.
Cleveland last started a rookie quarterback during the regular season in 2023, eventually using fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson for three games after Watson suffered a similar season-ending injury.
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