If the NFL were a Power Rangers type situation where teams could combine players and form one person with all the best traits of multiple guys, then maybe the Cleveland Browns quarterback room would look promising. Unfortunately, that is not the case (and not physically possible, as far as I know), which leaves the Browns with a lot of quarterbacks... but not one who is guaranteed to be even league-average.
In other words, the Browns decision to stockpile signal-callers, including Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and an injured Deshaun Watson, was... kind of silly. Five quarterbacks who could maybe, possibly, if everything goes right, be fine as starters, is still far less valuable than one quarterback who you know you can rely on every week.
I know that's not a novel take — yeah, having Patrick Mahomes is better than having a bunch of backups — but as training camp approaches, the realization from Browns fans that they have a crowded QB room but no real QB answer is starting to sink in.
Sometimes teams fail because things go wrong during the season. Other times teams fail because they weren't built with any plan in mind. The 2025 Browns are destined to fall in the latter category.
Browns brutal quarterback situation was predictable all along
The most frustrating part about all of this for Browns fans is that it was really obvious all along. Deshaun Watson, even before he tore his achilles, was clearly not the answer, so this team had basically all of last year to prepare for the QB market this offseason, both in the draft and free agency.
This is the best they could come up with? That's embarrassing! Every year it becomes more clear how the Browns haven't found a franchise quarterback in over two decades.
I'm cheering for Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, by the way. I have no reason to dislike either of the Browns rookie quarterbacks and hope they find great success in the league. But if they do, it's not likely to be in 2025 behind an offensive line with some questions and a running game that might be borderline non-existent.
After extending Myles Garrett, it's not like the Browns are tanking and looking forward to 2026. I think they're just hoping one of their endless quarterback options pans out, which is a truly incompetent way to build a team.