Cleveland Browns' Rumored Quarterback Plan Seems Incredibly Messy

Cleveland Browns' Rumored Quarterback Plan Seems Incredibly Messy originally appeared on The Spun.

The Cleveland Browns have named Joe Flacco their starting quarterback for their Week 1 showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals. While their plans for Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Shedeur Sanders haven't been revealed yet, ESPN's Adam Schefter shared a telling update with NFL fans this Monday.

Less than two weeks ago, Sanders impressed the Browns during his preseason debut. The 144th overall pick from this year's draft completed 14-of-23 passes against the Carolina Panthers for 138 yards with two touchdowns. He wasn't able to suit up this past Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles due to an oblique strain. That opened the door for Gabriel to show what he can do in Kevin Stefanski's offense.

Gabriel didn't do enough to create any separation between him and Sanders, completing 13-of-18 pass attempts for 143 yards with an interception returned for a touchdown. He also made headlines for a pregame comment he made about being a competitor.

"There are entertainers and there are competitors, and I totally understand that," Gabriel said. "My job is to compete and that's what I'm doing...It's something I'll get used to, and I just want to be the best teammate that I can, and create an environment where we can all get our best work in."

People were convinced Gabriel's remarks were a shot at Sanders. The Oregon product later clarified that he wasn't throwing shade at his teammates.

Despite all the drama surrounding Cleveland's quarterback room, the front office isn't exactly ready to break up the tension.

The Browns could keep all four quarterbacks on their Week 1 roster.

According to Schefter, there's an "increasing feeling" that Cleveland will carry all four quarterbacks on its 53-man roster. That's not a joke.

It makes sense for the Browns to keep Gabriel and Sanders around for the regular season. If either quarterback was placed on waivers this August, they'd most likely be claimed by another team.

As for Flacco and Pickett, they're expected to be the No. 1 and 2 options on the depth chart, respectively. The Browns don't seem eager to get rid of either signal-caller.

While we get why they'd want to keep Flacco, Gabriel and Sanders, we're not sure why the franchise would welcome all the chaos that comes with having such a crowded quarterback room. It also seems like poor roster management.

NFL fans made their thoughts on Cleveland's quarterback plan very clear.

"Very poor roster management from an unserious organization," one fan commented.

"Why is it so incredibly difficult for teams to pick one young QB and give him a shot? So many franchises complicate the simplest stuff," a second fan wrote.

"Their gm is in a nasty spot," another fan said. "You release Gabriel, you wasted a 3rd round pick. You release Pickett, it was a pointless trade. You release Shedeur, and the whole world confused cause he’s performed the best in preseason."

"I don’t get this. Like having 4 roster spots dedicated to quarterbacks is just so stupid," another NFL fan wrote.

There’s an increasing feeling that the Browns will carry four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. pic.twitter.com/tGwr4tvXOS

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2025

Getting rid of Flacco seems like a non-negotiable considering he's Cleveland's starter. The same can be said for cutting Gabriel and Sanders.

If the Browns feel comfortable with either Gabriel or Sanders' development this summer, they should consider moving on from Pickett. Not only would they get draft compensation in return, they'd open the door for one of their two rookies to potentially showcase their skills in the regular season.

Parting ways with Pickett would allow the Browns to allocate a roster spot to another position group, eliminate some speculation about the coaching staff intentionally burying Sanders on the depth chart, and let the front office acquire a late-round draft pick or two.

The Browns could certainly change their plans between now and the 53-man roster deadline on Aug. 26. For now though, it sounds like Stefanski and his coaching staff will have all four quarterbacks at their disposal.

Cleveland Browns' Rumored Quarterback Plan Seems Incredibly Messy first appeared on The Spun on Aug 19, 2025

This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared.