Cleveland Browns Receive Major QB Trade Prediction

The Cleveland Browns have a quarterback conundrum on their hands. After acquiring Kenny Pickett, signing free agent Joe Flacco and drafting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, the QB competition this summer is set up to be an all-out brawl.

That doesn't even include injured $230 million passer Deshaun Watson, who reportedly has begun throwing during his Achilles injury rehab and could return near the end of the 2025 season.

The Browns will have an open quarterback competition, but despite each of Pickett, Flacco, Gabriel and Sanders joining the team within the last three months, one of them will likely be the odd man out when Cleveland has to trim its roster to 53 players ahead of the season. NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler, speaking on ESPN Cleveland on Wednesday morning, believes one of the four will end up being dealt before then.

"I still think they look at quarterback pieces like currency and value," Fowler said. "If somebody goes down, if there's an injury in training camp, they have somebody they can potentially trade. Maybe it's Pickett, maybe it's one of the rookies, but I could see that sort of maneuvering. I have a hard time thinking they keep four on the roster. I think it might be three, and then you can try to practice squad a player or you could try to swing a trade."

NFL teams are allowed to have 16 practice squad players, as well as an additional spot if given to a member of the league's International Pathway Program. Ten of the 16 players must be rookies or second-year players, meaning one of Gabriel or Sanders is likely to be placed on the practice squad if they don't earn the starting job.

Alternatively, Pickett could be moved if both rookies make the active roster. At 26 years old, the former Steeler and Eagle likely would have a bigger trade market than 40-year-old Flacco, who struggled with the Colts last season.