The Cleveland Browns have a crowded quarterback room with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders all competing to be the starter for the 2025 season.
The Browns also have a diverse group of QBs as Flacco is 40 years old and has been in the NFL since 2008, while Pickett is 27 and is entering his fourth year in the league. Then there are the rookies -- Gabriel and Sanders -- who are coming off of impressive college careers.
Former Pro Bowl receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh recently shared on the Nightcap podcast what he is hearing about the Browns quarterback competition. Houshmandzadeh says that it is currently a two-player race and that Shedeur Sanders isn’t one of the two.
“I was told from somebody that’s in the building, that ain’t a player, it’s really coming down to Kenny Pickett or Dillon Gabriel,” T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. “That’s what I was told. But now, when you get the reports that Shedeur is completing 7 out of 9 passes, like is it against the starters, or is it against the 3s and 4s – the guys that are going to get released?
“So it seems impressive when you see the graphic, but is it really impressive if it’s not against the starters or guys that are going to be on the team. You don’t know how they’re dividing up the reps, and it’s virtually impossible with the amount of snaps.”
There are reports out there that Sanders has performed well in his opportunities thus far, but training camp has yet to begin and the quarterback battle will likely be decided then and throughout the preseason.
Of course, with four quarterbacks competing for a starting job, it can be hard for everyone to get reps.
If Pickett and Gabriel are indeed out front, it could be difficult for Shedeur Sanders and Joe Flacco to make up ground with limited opportunities.
“There ain’t enough reps. I don’t think people understand man… so you’ve got a four-way battle for quarterback," Houshmandzadeh said. “If it’s a four-man competition, like, how can you do it? Like Kenny Pickett, Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur – it’s not enough reps. There’s not enough reps in a practice.
“I wish two guys would get the majority of the reps one day, then two guys get the majority of the reps [another]. Like, I don’t know how this is a fair competition.”
Finally, Houshmandzadeh said that in his opinion, the Browns should go with a young quarterback this season -- either Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel -- and find out if they already have the quarterback of the future on their roster.
“I don’t get it. I don’t know what Cleveland is doing,” he said. “I know the coaching staff don’t agree with it, but I’m going with one of the rookies, whether it’s Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur. … Flacco’s a hell of a quarterback. He’s a real good dude. But he ain’t your quarterback of the future.
“Kenny Pickett, I seen you play in Pittsburgh. You ain’t the quarterback [of the future]. I’m going with one of the young guys to see what they can do and if they can’t do it, we’re going to draft one of these franchise quarterbacks in the draft coming out next year.”