It may seem like the quarterback position is the only issue the Cleveland Browns are facing right now-of course, it’s getting all the attention these days because one of the four quarterbacks in contention is the high-profile Shedeur Sanders, who was selected with pick No. 144 in the fifth round of the recent NFL Draft.
It’s hard to recall another time in NFL history-especially in the Super Bowl era-when a quarterback unit has been so media-driven and taken over the spotlight. That’s exactly what’s happening with the Cleveland Browns. Every day there’s a new story: Joe Flacco is supposedly the chosen one, or maybe they’re trading for Kenny Pickett, or Dillon Gabriel doesn’t have the talent, or Shedeur Sanders is a rising star.
There’s always a new narrative surrounding the Browns’ quarterback position, but only Kevin Stefanski, the team’s head coach, truly knows the truth-and deep down, he likely knows that his starting quarterback, at least to begin the season, will be Joe Flacco.
The Browns have more offensive issues
The Browns’ quarterback drama will drag on for several more weeks until Kevin Stefanski publicly announces who his QB1 will be-and even then, it might not be over. Whoever is named the starter will have zero margin for error, because the fans will immediately call for Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders if things go south.
But let’s now focus on one of the Browns’ other problems: their lack of depth at wide receiver. Sure, they have one very important player who took a solid step forward in 2024 after struggling with the Denver Broncos-that’s Jerry Jeudy.
There’s no doubt Jeudy will be the Browns’ lead receiver. In the 2024 NFL season, he had a great year. For many, he was the best player on the team. He played in all 17 regular-season games, recording 90 receptions for a total of 1,229 yards and scoring 4 touchdowns. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
Let’s agree: Jerry Jeudy is a star, and 2025 could be a very big year for him. But after the Alabama product, there’s not much left for the Browns at wide receiver.
It’s worth noting that the Browns didn’t draft a single wide receiver in the recent NFL Draft. In free agency, they signed Diontae Johnson, who does have talent but is completely inconsistent-he played for three teams last season.
Back when he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson was selected to the Pro Bowl, but his career has since declined. That’s why analysts Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus believe Diontae won’t even be a starter, despite the Browns’ weak receiving corps.
Wasserman and Chadwick gave their projected starting lineup for Cleveland in 2025, listing Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, and Jamari Thrash as the top three wide receivers. In fact, they didn’t even mention Diontae Johnson.
One might assume the Browns are hoping for a bounce-back season from Diontae Johnson-something like his 2021 campaign, when he racked up 1,161 yards and 8 touchdowns with the Steelers. However, the warning signs are already there: the Browns haven’t posted a single highlight of him on their social media accounts, which could mean he won’t even be on the roster when the season kicks off.
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