The Cleveland Browns may be in the most undesirable situation in the NFL right now. With a middling roster and an absolute mess at quarterback, their 2025 season doesn't appear bright.
Veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett currently sit atop the Browns' unofficial depth chart as QBs one and two, respectively, while rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders fight for reps in training camp.
While Cleveland's brass most likely would want an experienced quarterback under center to give them the best chance to win, it's in the Browns' best interest to see what their young guys have, especially if they need to turn back to the rookie quarterback well in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Bleacher Report recently released a story naming one player each team should cut ahead of the 2025 season. For the Browns, it was one of their veteran quarterbacks, Flacco.
"Right now, Joe Flacco is the only healthy quarterback on Cleveland's dumpster fire of a roster. He's also the only signal-caller in town who has experienced any real success in the NFL. But he should absolutely not see the field for the Browns in 2025." Wrote BR's Gary Davenport.
"Want experience? Fine. See if 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett can turn his career around in Cleveland. But at some point, the Browns have to see what they have in rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, especially after surprisingly using a third-round pick on the former."
It's hard to argue with Davenport, and it's safe to assume Browns fans feel the same. With little to no shot at making the playoffs, why bother giving Flacco the regular-season snaps? It's in the best interest of the Browns to see what their youngsters have and to see if an unproven commodity like Gabriel or Sanders can provide a spark for a team that needs it.