The Cleveland Browns sit 1-4 through their first five games of the 2025 NFL season. The slow start prompted a quarterback change to rookie Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel started for Cleveland against the Minnesota Vikings and while they lost, he showed a lot of promise at the position.
That led the team to make a shocking move.
In a shock move, the Browns trade their quarterback (Breaking Report)
Jun 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) talks to quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Joe Flacco was acquired by the Cincinnati Bengals from the Cleveland Browns with just over three weeks left before the trade deadline:
Cincinnati acted fast in trading for Flacco, parting ways with a 2026 fifth-round pick in exchange for Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Intradivision trades are rare in the NFL these days, but the Bengals are desperate for stability at quarterback after Joe Burrow is out for months with turf toe. Jake Browning was struggling to provide offense and the Bengals sit at 2-3 with an opportunity to still compete for a playoff spot.
The Browns benched the 40-year-old Flacco last week in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel, who earned his first start with Cleveland this past Sunday in London. Cleveland will roll with Gabriel and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders for the remainder of 2025, a rebuilding year for a franchise that is still hindered by the Deshaun Watson contract.
Who ended up winning the Flacco trade? How does the deal fare for the AFC North rivals?
Sep 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) runs onto the field during player introductions before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Cleveland had an overabundance of quarterbacks on its roster, as the Browns were able to get a fifth-round pick for Flacco and a fifth-round pick for Kenny Pickett, who they shipped to the Raiders. That’s two fifth-round picks for two quarterbacks, giving the Browns 10 picks in 2026 — including the 2026 first-round pick from the Jaguars.
The Browns are stacking picks and moving on from a veteran quarterback who won’t be part of their rebuild. They’ll get to see what they have in Gabriel for the remainder of 2025, and possibly Sanders. This is the right move going forward for Cleveland, which is in the process of a rebuild.
Jun 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) walks off the field during minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Here is a look at Flacco’s season stats:
Jun 12, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) walks off the field during mini camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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