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Shannon Sharpe dumps a bucket of cold water on one Browns QB’s career taking off in Cleveland

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated May 26, 2025 5:28 PM ET

The Cleveland Browns made a bold move in the 2025 NFL Draft, trading out of the No. 2 overall pick and passing on the opportunity to draft Travis Hunter. Their trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars netted them an extra first-round pick in 2026—a valuable asset if they need to target another quarterback.

The 2025 season will be all about determining whether the Browns have anything at the quarterback position. They need to find out if there’s untapped potential in Kenny Pickett that head coach Kevin Stefanski can unlock. Cleveland also drafted two rookie quarterbacks who will be given a chance to earn a role.

Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel and fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders could see playing time if they prove themselves. Veteran Joe Flacco may begin the season as the starter, given his familiarity with Stefanski’s system and past success running it. However, not everyone is optimistic about one of the Browns’ recent acquisitions at quarterback.

“Joe Flacco’s been in this thing a very, very long time,” Shannon Sharpe said stated on his show. “Hopefully I can get something from Joe [Flacco]. Kenny Pickett has been in the league for a while. I don’t know if I’m going to get too much from him, but you know… hey… let’s see how it goes.”

Sharpe didn’t sound too confident in Pickett, who was a first-round selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft. Pickett failed to establish himself as the franchise quarterback in Pittsburgh and was eventually traded to the Eagles. His arrival in Cleveland feels more like a safety net move—he may not elevate the offense, but he also isn’t likely to make many costly mistakes.

There are still plenty of questions surrounding the Browns’ quarterback room. Deshaun Watson remains sidelined with health issues and would be the fifth quarterback on the roster. He’s likely to start the season on injured reserve, meaning the Browns will need to decide which three quarterbacks to keep moving forward.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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