In 1995, the original Browns played their final game before migrating to Baltimore and becoming the Ravens in 1996. Hence, the city of Cleveland was without NFL football for three years. It returned as an expansion entity in 1999. Part of the agreement was that the new Browns would inherit the team records of a franchise that first took the field in 1946 in the All-America Football Conference. The Browns then joined the National Football League in 1950.
The current Browns have now played 26 seasons since their return in ‘99. To say it’s been a rough stretch would be a gross understatement. The team has posted a winning record just four times over that span, reached the playoffs on three occasions, and prevailed in only one postseason contest. Meanwhile, the Browns have lost at least 10 games 18 times in their last 26 campaigns.
Current sideline leader Kevin Stefanski is the club’s 12th different head coach during this 26-year stretch. He took the job in 2020 and has held it for five seasons. That’s the longest tenure by any Browns’ head coach since Bill Belichick held the job (with the original Browns) from 1991-95.
Then again, that head-coaching number is dwarfed by the number of different starting quarterbacks that have taken the field for this organization the last 26 seasons. It reads more like a “who was that?” rather than a “who’s who.”
The Browns have had 40 different starters under center dating back to Week 1 of the 1999 NFL season. The first was Ty Detmer. Next up was the first overall pick in the draft that year in University of Kentucky product Tim Couch. That duo combined for 16 starts in ’99, 14 by Couch.
The list of quarterbacks for the Browns is beyond depressing
As for the other 38 signal-callers, there’s Doug Pederson, Spergon Wynn, Kelly Holcomb, Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown, Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey, Bruce Gradkowski, Colt McCoy, Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace, Brandon Weeden, Thad Lewis, Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, Connor Shaw, Josh McCown, Austin Davis, Cody Kessler, Robert Griffin III, DeShone Kizer, Kevin Hogan, Baker Mayfield, Tyrod Taylor, Case Keenum, Nick Mullens, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker, Joe Flacco, Jeff Driskel, Jameis Winston, and Bailey Zappe.
That brings us to 2025 and the upcoming NFL draft. Browns’ general manager Andrew Berry has the second overall pick at his disposal. That’s because the team fell to 3-14 in 2024, one year after finishing in second place in the AFC North with an 11-6 record. Stefanski won NFL Coach of the Year honors in 2023 after leading the club to the playoffs despite using five different starting quarterbacks. That includes Joe Flacco, the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Berry is obviously playing a waiting game. That’s because the Tennessee Titans have the first pick, and talented quarterback Cam Ward (Miami, Fla.) could be the organization's choice.
So where does that exactly leave the Browns? Well, of the 40 quarterbacks that started for the team the past 26 seasons, 12 were drafted by the team. Five of those dozen signal-caller were first-round picks in Couch (1999), Quinn (2007), Weeden (2012), Manziel (2014) and Mayfield (2018). Kizer (Notre Dame) was a second-round selection in 2017, while Frye (2005), McCoy (2010), and Kessler (2016) were all third-round picks.
Meanwhile, it was reported (via NFL.com) that “the Browns will have dinner with QB prospect Shedeur Sanders later this week in connection with his Colorado pro day, head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters at the Annual League Meeting.”
So why is the organization in this current funk? When it comes to the current depth chart, there’s Watson and former Steelers’ first-round draft choice Kenny Pickett. The latter was obtained this offseason via trade with the Eagles, who in the deal obtained Thompson-Robinson from Cleveland.
Then again, this organization gave up plenty to get Watson from the Texans three years ago. They picked up the three-time Pro Bowler and a sixth-round choice in 2024 from Houston, and surrendered three first-rounders (2022-24), a fourth in ’22, and third in ’23, and a fourth in ’24.
All told, the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft has played and started a total of 19 games for the Browns since his arrival. He was suspended for the first 11 games of ’22 for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy. He started the final six games for Stefanski’s club that year, but over these past two seasons he’s missed more games (21) than he’s appeared in (13).
It’s safe to say that the Cleveland Browns can’t seem to get out of their own way when it comes to finding a reliable starting quarterback. You could certainly make a strong case that the Browns gave up on Mayfield far too soon. He’s emerged as a two-time Pro Bowler with the Buccaneers
The Browns have a first-round pick for the first time since 2021. This is the only team in the AFC North that didn’t finish with a winning record this past season. It’s time for Berry and the organization to find “that guy” at quarterback. Look no further than the 2024 Washington Commanders to see what a talented prospect can do during his first season in the league.