The Titans will start rookie Cam Ward but need some kind of quality backup as well
Talk to a few different people, whether in the media or fans of the Cleveland Browns, and you will find that many believe they “know” what the team will do at the quarterback position.
- “Joe Flacco has to be the guy; he led them to the playoffs and is a veteran.”
- “Shedeur Sanders is the future of the team and was the most accurate guy in college; he only dropped due to his dad and other unimportant things.”
- “Kenny Pickett will be the starter. He was a first-round pick and the first QB they acquired this year.”
- “Dillon Gabriel had the biggest asset (third-round pick) used to acquire him and is obviously HC Kevin Stefanski’s guy.”
Even if Deshaun Watson is healthy midseason, we haven’t heard anyone expecting him to return to the starting lineup at least.
The Tennessee Titans are in a far different situation where they know who their starting quarterback is, Cam Ward, but have a big need behind him with Will Levis undergoing surgery soon and out for the season:
Cam Ward’s QB room now includes just Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. https://t.co/wwMUWvasfK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 21, 2025
For context: Allen has been in the league since 2016 and has played a total of 18 games, while Boyle has played in 23 games since joining the NFL in 2019. Combined, they have played for nine teams in 11 seasons.
There has been a lot of talk about either veteran, Flacco or Pickett, being available via trade sooner rather than later, including folks connecting the dots with the Minnesota Vikings:
With a report that Gabriel has wowed the team along with Sanders’ accuracy, it is possible the Browns would be willing to deal one of their veterans to the Titans. Tennessee might value the veteran presence and experience of winning of Flacco or the upside of Pickett in a quarterback room that has scarce amounts of either.
For Cleveland, offloading one of the quarterbacks early could help them narrow down their starting options and give enough snaps for the three remaining to settle the competition. That the Titans might have to give up a stronger asset following the Levis injury only makes the chances more likely.
Do you think the Browns should be open to a QB trade to allow 3, not 4, QBs to compete at the start of training camp? If so, assuming the trade compensation is similar, which of the four do you think Tennessee should want and Cleveland should move?
Share your thoughts below