

As summer approaches, the Cleveland Browns are entering training camp stocked with four quarterbacks: Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco,Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
But with only two or three typically staying, the front office is preparing to potentially trade or release at least one veteran before the November trade deadline, sources report.
According to NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal and ESPN’s Peter Schrager, Kenny Pickett is the most likely to depart before August ends. Rosenthal asserted:
“The Browns appear to want Kenny Pickett to win the job. I doubt it will happen.”
Should Joe Flacco secure the Week 1 starter role, Pickett would be the prime candidate to be moved for another team’s backup quarterback spot.
Yet Cleveland insiders caution the team may hold onto all four through early November unless presented with an offer too good to refuse.
Browns GM Andrew Berry has said all four quarterbacks could make the initial 53-man roster if they all perform well enough.
As Mary Kay Cabot explains:
“If someone makes them an offer they can’t refuse, they’ll listen. But keeping four is definitely within the realm of possibility.”
Balancing veteran stability with rookie development
Flacco, who helped guide Cleveland to the 2023 playoffs and earned the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year, brings dependable play at age 40.
Despite his age, Zac Jackson of The Athletic praised him as “the best pure thrower of the fourman quarterback group, even at 40,” noting his experience makes him a “valuable addition right now”.
Still, holding Flacco for the entire season may not fit the Browns‘ long-term strategy. Mary Kay Cabot suggests:
“If they’re clearly not in the hunt [by midseason], they’ll want to give Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders a chance to play so they can determine if one of them has a legitimate chance to start for them next season.”
At that point, Cleveland could potentially deal Flacco, offering surplus at quarterback to scoop up another 2026 draft pick, possibly even enhancing its position in next year’s QB-rich draft field.
That aligns with their rebuild strategy and the value they place on flexibility.
Meanwhile, behind Flacco and Pickett, rookies Gabriel and Sanders are vying for playing time.
Their development is essential for the Browns‘ future, particularly if the team fails to revive Deshaun Watson or decides to pivot to a rookie next year.
Pickett, a former Steelersstar and 2022 first-rounder, is fighting to prove his worth after losing his starting role with the Steelers and spending last season as a backup.
Flacco‘s command of the offense and locker-room presence, but with limited long-term upside, places them both in a precarious position when roster cuts are made.
This news was originally published on this post .
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