Insider expands on how Browns will handle four-way QB competition

Cleveland Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer recently revealed that "the Browns will essentially run two concurrent passing camps during organized team activities, mandatory minicamp and possibly into training camp" as part of a "fair" quarterback competition involving Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. 

Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand expanded on what those passing camps could look like through at least a portion of the preseason. 

"I think there will be two quarterback competitions in training camp," Grossi wrote. "There is Joe Flacco versus Kenny Pickett for No. 1, and Dillon Gabriel versus Shedeur Sanders for No. 3. This is the only logical way to divide it. It would be different if Gabriel or Sanders were drafted in the first or second rounds. But they were not. The Browns did not consider either of them as legit candidates to lead the team in 2025, or else they’d have been selected higher than 94^th overall (Gabriel) and 144^th overall (Sanders)."

Grossi's update is hardly shocking, as multiple reporters have suggested that either Flacco or Pickett will be named Cleveland's Week 1 starter. Cabot believes Pickett is currently the "frontrunner to win the starting job," but FanDuel Sportsbook had Flacco as a +116 betting favorite to earn the job as of Tuesday morning. 

Meanwhile, it's assumed Cleveland will either trade or cut Flacco or Pickett before September so that the club can have a starter, Gabriel and Sanders on the active roster for Week 1. Grossi indicated the Browns may want to keep their quarterback room together beyond the preseason. 

"I think it’s increasingly possible that all four QBs survive the 53 roster cut," Grossi added. "First off, practice squad rosters will be 16 in 2025. 10 spots are reserved for rookies and second-year players. The remaining spots can be veterans. If the Browns are short-changed at one or more positions on their 53 roster by keeping a fourth QB, they can stock up at those positions on their practice squad. The NFL trade deadline this year is Nov. 5. If a team comes calling for a quarterback, the Browns can increase his trade value by waiting until the deadline."

Cabot raised some eyebrows when she shared on Monday that Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson has "been out of his walking boot for several weeks" after he suffered a torn Achilles in October 2024 and then tore the Achilles again while rehabbing. However, Grossi insisted that Watson "will spend the season on an injury designation and will not be active." 

It's expected that the Browns will part ways with Watson next offseason. 

Browns general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski are seemingly leaving the door open for Gabriel or Sanders to look like a revelation en route to winning the starting job this summer. If such a scenario doesn't play out, however, it's possible the rookies will spend the majority of their debut pro campaigns as unused backups.