Shedeur Sanders, Kenny Pickett or Dillon Gabriel could be the Browns future… so could the 2026 NFL draft
Anyone who thinks they know how the Cleveland Browns 2025 season will for sure end up is either guessing, a fool, or a time traveler. Only a time traveler knows when and how the Browns long-standing quarterback issue will ever be solved.
For this season, Joe Flacco could start for the team, but he’s clearly not a long-term option. The other three quarterbacks fighting for the starting job, on the other hand, could be. Kenny Pickett is a former first-round pick whom Cleveland traded for. Shedeur Sanders was expected to be a first-round pick, but fell while Dillon Gabriel is the quarterback the Browns spent the most assets to acquire.
Prior to the 2025 NFL draft, we shared the idea that Cleveland needed to find a prospect better than Baker Mayfield. At the time, the question was whether they had a chance to draft Cam Ward, would select Sanders in the first or second round or if one of Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe or Tyler Shough would get that chance.
Instead, the Browns traded out of the second overall selection to acquire an extra first-round pick in 2026, selected Gabriel late in the third round, and traded back up to select Sanders in the fifth.
Given the big trade and limited assets devoted to acquiring the three younger quarterbacks, it seems Cleveland’s plan is to see what they have in 2025 while having the ammunition to get a top-flight quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft. The best case scenario is that one of Gabriel, Pickett or Sanders shows that they can be that top-tier guy during the 2025 season and the Browns can make moves around them with the extra picks in 2026.
Unfortunately, there is no certainty of that best possible outcome so we are bringing you two lesser choices to get a feel for what fans want in 2026:
Option 1
Pickett, Gabriel or Sanders prove they are a decent to good quarterback, let’s say a Top 20 level QB (In Pro Football Focus’ rankings that would put them near Tua Tagovailoa, Bo Nix and Bryce Young) but only the most optimistic fan would believe they are capable of being a Top 10 level quarterback.
Cleveland wins some games but misses the playoffs by a game or two, leading to drafting in the middle of the first round with their pick.
The combination of a good but not great young QB and a lesser pick would make it more difficult to pull the trigger on drafting one high in the ‘26 draft, and it would be more expensive if they needed to trade up. The Browns would win some games, have a decent quarterback, and some hope for quality play moving forward, but with a likely ceiling of a playoff, not a Super Bowl contender.
Option 2
Basically a similar season to what happened in 2024, with slightly better defense and slightly better offens,e but it is clear that Pickett was overdrafted and will never be a starter, Gabriel is too small/limited and Sanders doesn’t have a big enough arm or athletic ability to be a long-term quality starter.
Cleveland fans will see more losing, but will have a clear direction in the 2026 NFL draft and a very high pick (plus the Jacksonville Jaguars selection) to find their quarterback of the future. Potentially one with much higher upside (a given since Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders were all acquired with picks in the late third round or later).
Between those two options, which would you choose for the 2025 Browns season?
You can vote in the poll below, but we really want to hear your thoughts on the decision in our comment section below.
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