ClutchPoints
The Cleveland Browns head into the 2025 season with one of the most unpredictable rosters in the NFL. Sure, there’s no shortage of talent on either side of the ball. However, a chaotic offseason has only fueled doubts about the team’s direction. From quarterback controversies to a defense trying to hold it all together, Cleveland’s minicamp spotlight has revealed more questions than answers. For a couple of veterans, the answers may be bad news. With an influx of young talent and the front office eager to reshape the future, two familiar faces may find themselves on the outside looking in when final roster cuts arrive.
The Browns have had quite the offseason, particularly after a drama-filled 2025 NFL Draft. All eyes are now on the quarterback position, where five players are jockeying for position. That includes high-upside rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Getting Sanders in the fifth round may go down as one of the steals of the draft. He brings tantalizing long-term potential and a flair for playmaking that could redefine the Browns’ identity under center.
If Sanders, or even Gabriel, wins the job at some point, they’ll benefit from a better offensive setup than what Cleveland fielded in 2024. Running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson could form a dynamic one-two punch to replace the oft-injured Nick Chubb. Meanwhile, Harold Fannin Jr gives Cleveland another pass-catching threat at tight end alongside David Njoku. That should help to lighten the load for new top receiver Jerry Jeudy.
On defense, the Browns scored a win by retaining All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett. They also hit big in the draft, adding potential Day 1 contributors in defensive tackle Mason Graham and linebacker Carson Schwesinger. On paper, the defense remains a top-10 unit.
That said, dysfunction still lingers. Even a relatively favorable schedule couldn’t lift the Browns out of the cellar. With pressure mounting and the future clearly in mind, roster trimming is inevitable — and a couple of well-known names could be headed for the chopping block.
The return of Joe Flacco for the 2025 season was billed as a stabilizing move. After all, the 40-year-old veteran stepped in during the 2023 season and brought surprising calm to a rocky quarterback situation. However, this year’s circumstances are starkly different and not in Flacco’s favor.
Deshaun Watson is out for the year following back-to-back Achilles injuries. In response, the Browns acquired Kenny Pickett via trade and drafted both Gabriel and Sanders. That makes five quarterbacks currently on the roster. With NFL teams rarely carrying more than three into the regular season, Flacco is now staring down a numbers game he may not win.
His main value lies in his experience and locker room leadership. That said, those traits only go so far when a team is in rebuilding mode. Gabriel and Sanders represent the future, while Pickett is a 26-year-old former first-round pick who still has development runway....
