There is plenty of time before final roster cuts in August, but the Browns are already considering holding onto all four of their quarterbacks.
General manager Andrew Berry said (via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports) that Cleveland could “absolutely” carry four quarterbacks into the regular season, provided, of course, that “they all play well enough.” According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, all four “answered the bell” this spring.
The Browns value Joe Flacco‘s familiarity with Kevin Stefanski‘s offensive scheme; those traits are also the reason that Flacco took limited reps during OTAs and minicamp, typically with the first team, per Epstein. That has allowed Stefanski and new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to sort through the team’s younger options: ex-Steelers first-rounder Kenny Pickett and rookie draft picks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Pickett and Gabriel also played with the first team in the spring, but Sanders did not, per Epstein. He has “come on strong over the last two weeks,” according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, and could still be a part of the starting competition in training camp.
If the Browns go with three quarterbacks, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal believes that either Flacco or Pickett will be the odd man out. Flacco’s experience is his biggest plus, but Cleveland was more aggressive in its pursuit of Pickett this offseason. The Browns traded for him on the first day of the new league year, while Flacco did not sign until April.
Obviously, the Browns are unlikely to cut Gabriel after drafting him in the third round. They could try to sneak Sanders through waivers after every other team passed on him multiple times in the draft, but he could be claimed if another squad’s backup gets injured during training camp.
There’s the old saying: You can never have too many quarterbacks on your roster
John Madden: The saying “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none”. 4???
I can hear it in his voice already: “In Madden terms, that would be none minus 2.”
Three’s a crowd; four’s a Super Bowl
If you had 53, you technically could. Lol
Browns might do it by end of year
Hopefully the last sentence comes to fruition.
Worked for the Patriots when Tom Brady was the 4th QB on the roster his rookie year…
Considering it’s both the Browns and involves their QBs you can bet any decision they make will be the wrong one.
The Sunk Cost Fallacy is a silly notion. ALWAYS quadruple down.
It works for Cleveland…
To be honest, they should at this point unless they can trade one for reasonable value. Waiving QBs is a lot different than waiving LBs or safeties.
There is a zero percent chance the Browns carry 4 QB’s on their 53 man roster. Berry is lying to try to keep the trade value up for the QB they decide they don’t want.
I’d sit back and wait until final cuts to see if anyone goes down. If nobody is desperate for a QB I’d cut Flacco and roll with Pickett and the kids. At worst you confirm that Pickett is trash and get a good draft pick.
Out of curiosity, why would you keep Pickett? Genuinely asking, because in my opinion he’s the worst QB on that roster. I think some pro evaluators would agree because the QB desperate Steelers and the Eagles both didn’t want him. I’d much rather have Flacco’s experience to mentor the young QBs, too.
So basically the Browns would add a fifth QB if there were 5 downs?
I heard they were going with a new innovation. SIAMESE QUARTERBACKs. One lefty and one right. That way they save on jerseys too. Two QB’s inside one jersey with only their throwing arms sticking out. The other team will have no idea which arm will throw the ball, but both will be equally able to toss the football with accuracy and strength. Hey, it could work, and it couldn’t make the Browns any more of a laughing stock. Might have to figure out if the edge rushers sack the QB do they get one sack or two?
Cleveland should hire you as the HC. I’m not sure if you could make them good, but your idea would at least make them interesting.
But there’s only three QBs in that picture?
As a Browns fan, I’m hoping we keep all 4. We’ve been hurt by injuries and poor play at QB for several seasons now, and with an much needed breath of fresh air in our QB room…all 4 certainly will be contributing in one way or another…
Alternate them by snap
The DC will never know what’s coming!
Neither will the Browns’ OC
Weird to say “all four” quarterbacks when technically they have five quarterbacks.