Cleveland knows from horrible quarterback rooms. But the current group should be able to hold it together for a season.
If there was ever an NFL team that knows bad quarterbacks, it is the Cleveland Browns.
Since returning to the league in 1999, the Browns have rolled out quarterback rooms that featured Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye and Frisman Jackson (2005); Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey and Bruce Gradkowski (2008); Brandon Weeden, Thaddeus Lewis, Colt McCoy and Josh Johnson (2012); Cody Kessler, Josh McCown, Robert Griffin III, Charlie Whitehurst and Kevin Hogan (2016); and DeShone Kizer, Kevin Hogan and Cody Kessler (2017).
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None of those immortal groups can hold a candle to the 2024 room, however, which consisted of:
- Deshaun Watson, a once-talented quarterback with a broken body and broken psyche.
- Jameis Winston, one of the worst free-agent signings in franchise history.
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a feel-good but limited low-round draft pick.
- Bailey Zappe, a quarterback with limited success, except when going against a defense led by Joe Woods.
That group put together one of the worst offensive seasons in recent NFL history as the Browns finished with a 3-14 record. Which, in turn, led general manager Andrew Berry to completely renovate the position.
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Out are Watson, who is recovering from his second Achilles injury and has played his last down for the Browns; Winston and Zappe, off to the New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, in free agency; and Thompson-Robinson, traded off to the Philadelphia Eagles.
In are veteran Joe Flacco, signed in free agency, veteran Kenny Pickett, acquired in the Thompson-Robinson trade, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
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Even though his best days are behind him, Flacco is one of the rare “bridge quarterbacks” who should be able to hold it together for a few weeks if called upon. He knows head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense, and in limited playing time the past two seasons, has completed 63 percent of his passes while throwing 10 more touchdowns than interceptions.
Even though he is best suited as a backup quarterback, Pickett can at least be functional if the need arises to play him. And it can’t be understated how much a year with the Eagles helped Pickett wash off the stench of his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that consistently flies under the radar when it comes to its inability to develop quarterbacks.
Even though they are rookies, Gabriel and Sanders have the college résumés and mindset to be competitive during training camp and the preseason. And unlike recent draftees like Thompson-Robinson, Kizer, Kessler, or Johnny Manziel, there is more of a feeling of guarded confidence and less of an “oh, crap, this is going to be bad” vibe around the idea of Gabriel or Sanders having to play as rookies.
While there is no danger that this latest quartet will make up anyone’s “Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks,” the group should prove functional enough to navigate the upcoming season.
And given what the Browns have rolled out over the years, and especially compared to the 2024 quarterback room, functional should be good enough to get through the upcoming season.
How do you feel about Cleveland’s quarterback room for 2025 compared to recent seasons?