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Jun 12, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, left, and managing and principal partner Dee Haslam, middle, and managing and principal partner Jimmy Haslam watch practice during mini camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Browns Owners Share Telling Stance On Pursuit of Franchise QB

Originally posted on Cleveland Browns on SI
By Spencer German | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 2:01 PM ET

Ever since the Cleveland Browns returned to the shores of Lake Erie in 1999, they've been desperately searching for a franchise quarterback. According to team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam, fans may be waiting a few more years to land one.

The Haslams addressed the media on Tuesday, ahead of Day 6 of training camp and doubled down on their comments from earlier in the spring, where they suggested that solving the team's quarterback conundrum is going to take some time."

"We made the decision last year to take a step back after last year's disaster and looking at our roster and knowing that we needed a quarterback to do this over a two or three-year period," said Jimmy Haslam of the team's approach to the future. "It's too early to say, but we like our rookie group, we'll know a lot more after we play two or three exhibition games and young guys get to play a lot."

Quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Sheduer Sanders make up two members of that rookie group that Haslam raved about. That duo is currently battling with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for the right to be Cleveland's starting quarterback this season, but for each, it's an uphill battle.

These latest comments echo those made by the ownership group back in March at the NFL owners' meetings, where he called the acquisition of Deshaun Watson three years ago a "big swing and a miss," adding that it would take time to correct it.

"We thought we had the quarterback, we didn't and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him, so we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole," said Haslam at the time. "(It) was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee and I, so hold us accountable."

By doubling down on the comments several months later, it certainly suggests that the organization has realistic expectations for the two rookies, who they selected in the third and fifth rounds, respectively. And that they will be keeping a close eye on future quarterback prospects as well, especially considering that they have two first-round picks at their disposal in 2026.

Next year's crop of QB talents expected to enter the league is consider one of the deepest in years, with several star-studded names the Browns are likely to be scouting this fall. None of them are more notable, though, than Texas Longhorns' QB Arch Manning, the nephew of Peyton Manning, who has a well-documented relationship with the Browns' owners.

Because of that connection, there have been plenty of whispers around the NFL about Haslam wanting to draft Arch. Jimmy Haslam was quick to shoot down those rumors on Tuesday as well.

"I think if you know the Manning family, I would bet that, and I don't know Arch at all, okay, I bet he stays in college two years. So I don't even think that's worth discussing."

Time will tell if Manning ends up being part of the Browns' plans in 2026. Or if a different QB makes their way onto Cleveland's radar. For now, they have a season to play, and two rookies to evaluate.

But don't be surprised if their franchise's nearly three-decades-long quest for a star QB drags on a little longer.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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