Dawgs By Nature
Browns roster currently does not have a starting quarterback or high level veteran backup
It just so happened that the Cleveland Browns made some quarterback history in the past few years.
In the 2023 season, the Browns tied an NFL for most starting quarterbacks in a single season with five, tying the 1987 New England Patriots. This past season, Cleveland broke the record for the most starting QBs in consecutive seasons by starting four, thus making the new record of nine starters in two seasons.
Proud moments for the franchise no doubt.
When QB Deshaun Watson went down with an Achilles tear last year, this set in motion a new condition for the team. Jameis Winston is a free agent and won’t be re-signed having thrown eight interceptions in three games. Bailey Zappe had one start and may be retained to compete for QB3 but he is also a free agent. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft, Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR) signed a four-year deal which means he is under contract through the 2026 season.
Going into the 2025 training camp, the QB room is currently: DTR. And he is not considered an NFL-starting caliber quarterback.
The Browns are devoid of a starting quarterback. And a backup. Yikes. That’s like your girlfriend broke up with you and your emergency fallback girlfriend got engaged.
What type of rabbit will Browns GM Andrew Berry pull out the hat for this situation?
It is almost a certainty that Berry will draft a young QB in this year’s draft. He has to. DTR either isn’t the answer, will never be the answer, or needs a lot of time to develop. In any regard, in 2025 he most likely won’t be the starter or the backup in the present future.
The thought process here is that Berry will sign a veteran who has plenty of NFL starts and draft a young buck who is more advanced and a year away from starting who can compete in training camp and win the backup spot.
Rookie signal callers start all the time. Russell Wilson was drafted in the third round even though the Seattle Seahawks had signed Matt Flynn to a huge three-year deal worth $20.5 million as a free agent to be their starter. After the smoke cleared in training camp, it was Wilson who started Week 1 and Flynn was subsequently traded away after zero starts.
Which quarterback will Berry draft this year?
In Round 1 at the top of the draft, it has been rumored that the Tennessee Titans, holder of the first overall pick, are enamored with QB Cam Ward of the University of Miami. If for some reason they select another player, then Ward to the Browns could be the pick.
If you research draft sites and their Big Boards, not all of them have Shedeur Sanders in the first round at all or at the back end of Round 1. However, Berry may be in love with him...
