Browns Insider Makes Surprising Report About QB Situation

Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns have a lot of work to do. They need to figure out who their starting quarterback is going to be, but there are plenty of areas the team must improve from last season in order to take a step in the right direction.

Speaking of the quarterback situation, that will be the main storyline throughout the upcoming training camp period and preseason action. As of now, the Browns have five quarterbacks on the roster.

Two of those quarterbacks are rookies, with Dillon Gabriel being a third-round pick in the 2025 draft and Shedeur Sanders being scooped up in the fifth round. Cleveland also has Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and Deshaun Watson on the roster.

More than likely, Watson has seen his last playing time for the Browns, barring a shocking change of mind. Pickett seems to be the front-runner to be the Week 1 starter. Flacco is an intriguing veteran option, but he offers no long-term outlook.

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Of course, the team will also want to get a good look at their two rookies to find out what they have in those players.

With that being said, one Cleveland insider has spoken out with a surprising outlook for the team at the quarterback position.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com responded to the rumblings about a potential quarterback trade to clear out some of the logjam at the position. However, she does not believe that the Browns are very interested in making that kind of move right now. That move will come though.

"The Browns have no plans to trade any of their quarterbacks at this point. They're intent on conducting this four-way quarterback competition and having the QBs bring out the best in each other," Cabot said. "By roster cutdown day on Aug. 27, they will be prepared to part with at least one of the quarterbacks. Which one will be determined by the competition, and how their depth chart order shakes out."

Who is the most likely option to be the odd man out of the quarterback competition?

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Watson would be difficult to move on from. He still has two years left being paid the huge contract he was given when Cleveland acquired him from the Houston Texans. Both Gabriel and Sanders would be surprising cut or trade candidates.

Pickett was sought after by the Browns in an offseason trade with the Eagles, which makes him seem likely to be given a chance. That leaves Flacco, a 40-year-old quarterback with little to offer Cleveland past the 2025 season.

Flacco seems to be the most likely trade candidate when the Browns do move on from a quarterback. There are also plenty of teams around the NFL who could be interested in upgrading their backup quarterback situation.

Only time will tell, but Cleveland is going to be a major talking point around the league as it tries to figure out what to do long-term under center.

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