CLEVELAND, Ohio — There’s a crucial distinction that could define the Browns’ 2025 season, and it has nothing to do with flashy statistics or highlight-reel plays.
“The way I term (it) is a quarterback you win with, not a quarterback you win because of,” explained Browns film analyst Lance Reisland on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast, cutting straight to the heart of Cleveland’s quarterback philosophy.
This seemingly subtle difference carries massive implications for how the Browns will approach the upcoming season — and might explain why Joe Flacco remains in the driver’s seat despite the team drafting two quarterbacks this spring.
In a league obsessed with finding the next Patrick Mahomes, the Browns appear to be embracing a different path: building a team that can win with capable quarterback play rather than because of extraordinary quarterback play.
“There’s very few Mahomes...the guys that you just, it doesn’t matter what you do, they’re gonna make plays,” Reisland noted. “The way that you make a quarterback into a quarterback you can win with is surround him with a scheme and talent that can allow for that.”
This approach hinges on three critical elements: defensive excellence, turnover differential, and efficiency on early downs.
“The No. 1 thing in football, in my opinion, obviously they have to do is they have to turn the ball over on defense. They have to create more turnovers,” Reisland emphasized. “They have to create short fields for that offense.”
Complementing this defensive focus is an offensive approach that prioritizes ball security and field position over splash plays.
“Then offensively, they’ve got to end every drive in a kick. They can’t turn the ball over,” Reisland said. “What does that mean? It means you’re boring.”
Being “boring” might not sell jerseys, but it wins football games. The formula involves winning on first down to create manageable situations and limit defensive creativity.
“If you win on first down, now you’re second-and-5, second-and-6, now the defense has to play base,” Reisland explained. “The more it’s based, the less exotic they can get it because they have to stop the run. If you lose first down and you’re second-and-10, second-, third-and-10, now they get exotic because they know you have to throw the football.”
This approach directly ties to the quarterback position. While many fans clamor for explosive passing games, Reisland advocates for a more measured approach that protects the defense — arguably the team’s greatest strength.
“(Corey) Bojorquez was killing the ball at camp. Punt the ball, play defense,” Reisland said. “What if you punt the ball inside the five and then you create a turnover and all of a sudden the ball is on the 20 going in. Now the offense is a lot more successful.”
When it comes to the quarterback who best fits this philosophy right now, Reisland pointed to the veteran presence of Joe Flacco.
“Flacco, in my opinion, allows the guys around them to play fast from day one,” he said. “They don’t have to go over it on the board as much. They don’t have to walk through it as much. They can get the live action with it.”
This isn’t to say Cleveland’s rookie quarterbacks don’t factor into the plans. But in a system predicated on complementary football, protecting the ball, and maximizing defensive advantages, experience provides a significant edge.
“So I do think they have a quarterback. I think they have multiple quarterbacks they can win with if they know he’s a quarterback you win with, not because of. And they play to their defense,” Reisland concluded.
As the Browns prepare for 2025, their success may not depend on finding a quarterback savior, but rather on building a team that can maximize the talents of the quarterbacks they already have.
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