Browns Positioned to Pair Legendary Coach, Top QB in Cleveland Next Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Dible | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 6:59 PM ET

Cleveland Browns brass is on the hot seat heading into the 2025 season, and a six-game stretch to open the year against the Cincinnati Bengals and then five consecutive playoff teams doesn't bode well for their futures.

That the Browns have five quarterbacks and no real answer for the starting job heading into training camp isn't going to help the cases of general manager Andrew Berry or head coach Kevin Stefanski, even despite Stefanski winning NFL Coach of the Year twice in his five-year tenure in Cleveland.

Those quarterbacks include 40-year-old Joe Flacco, failed (to this point) former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, and the injured Deshaun Watson who has two years remaining on arguably the worst contract in the history of American professional sports.

There is a chance for Pickett, Gabriel or Sanders to win the starting job and potentially hold it moving forward. Flacco is also in the running for QB1, perhaps even the favorite, but isn't a longterm answer due to his age. However, it's also possible every one of those QBs is either gone or relegated to a backup role by next year, as the Browns hold their own first-round pick and that of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2026.

Some talented quarterbacks are likely to be part of the class, including potentially Arch Manning of Texas. Meanwhile, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is reportedly interested in returning to coaching in some capacity, per a report from Greg McElroy of ESPN on July 14.

Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports on Friday, July 18, floated the notion of the Browns using the No. 1 pick, if they get it, to select Manning first in the 2026 draft. Cleveland would be positioned to trade both first-rounders and other assets to move up to No. 1 even if the franchise lands further down the line.

Cowherd jointly suggested that the Browns could move on from Stefanski in favor of Saban, and bring the Manning/Saban pair to Cleveland to lead a complete franchise overhaul.

"If Arch Manning plays well ... he’s going No. 1 in the draft,” Cowherd said. "Arch Manning and Nick Saban make the Cleveland Browns, for an owner who loves chasing headlines, the most interesting team in the NFL. Not saying the best. They would be the most interesting."

Saban served as defensive coordinator of the Browns from 1991-94 under head coach Bill Belichick, who went on to win six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. Saban also served as head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2005 and 2006, earning a record of 15-17 over that stretch.

Saban has won a total of seven national titles as a head coach at the collegiate level, including six with Alabama and one with LSU.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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