As NFL training camps prepare to open in just a few weeks, all eyes in Cleveland will be focused on one of the most unpredictable quarterback competitions in recent memory.
With Deshaun Watson sidelined indefinitely as he recovers from a second Achilles rupture, the Cleveland Browns are left to sift through four potential options for their Week 1 starter.
These are veteran Joe Flacco, former Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
It’s a crowded and chaotic quarterback room, one that will dominate headlines this summer.
And it may have long-term implications, with Watson‘s durability in question and the Browns coming off a dismal 3-14 season.
Despite Flacco‘s success last year, the franchise is clearly searching for its next permanent solution at quarterback.
Flacco offers reliability, but Sanders remains the most polarizing figure in the room
The most stable option remains Joe Flacco, who re-signed with Cleveland in April after reviving his career last season by leading the Browns to the playoffs and earning NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
At 40 years old, Flacco still has enough left in the tank, according to at least one opposing scout.
“Joe Flacco is their best bet to be competitive,” the scout told Athlon Sports. “He still throws a good ball.”
While Flacco brings veteran savvy and Pickett offers a change-of-scenery redemption arc, the most intrigue lies with the Browns‘ two rookie quarterbacks.
Sanders the focus
Cleveland selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, only to shock the league one day later by grabbing Shedeur Sanders in Round 5.
Sanders, who many expected to be a first-round pick before his draft stock fell dramatically, instantly became the focus of media buzz at minicamp in June.
Despite being picked later than Gabriel, Sanders drew significantly more attention, both from fans and insiders.
And the questions surrounding his fall in the draft haven’t gone away. Throughout the offseason, speculation swirled about Sanders’ preparation and perceived lack of professionalism.
Those same concerns have now resurfaced in Athlon Sports’ 2025 NFL Preview magazine.
“Shedeur Sanders is a very polarizing guy,” an anonymous scout told the publication.
“We didn’t like his attitude and how he handled the draft process. He wasn’t prepared. He mailed it in at every step. He didn’t take it seriously enough.”
Yet even as criticism mounts, that same scout acknowledged that Sanders has legitimate upside if he’s willing to mature.
“If he figures out that he doesn’t have it all figured out and applies himself, I can still see him having success,” the scout added.
“He’s got a lot of tools. He’s just not a great athlete, and he has to cut out some bad habits as far as taking sacks, staring down reads and patting the football excessively.”
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