The Browns had a myriad of offseason moves that have kept them in the headlines this offseason - from the Kenny Pickett trade, to the draft day trade down from Travis Hunter, and even to signing Isaiah Bond earlier this month. Undeniably, the most talked about move (or moves) was the selection of Dillon Gabriel in round three, followed by the trade up to end Shedeur Sanders' slide in round five.
Many people believed Gabriel was drafted too high, and the decision to get two quarterbacks shocked those around the football world as well. However, the collective draft day decisions have numerous different paths to paying off in the near future.
Browns 2 QB draft class could turn into a win
Once the Browns picked up an extra first-round pick in 2026 to move down with the Jaguars, it became apparent that their most likely long-term quarterback answer would come in that class. The 2026 quarterback class is thought to be significantly better than the 2025 class, and having two picks will allow them to get one of their top options regardless of where the picks end up.
Still, there was an entire season to be played this year without an answer at quarterback, and it only makes sense to keep trotting Joe Flacco out there if the team is in contention. It's possible that we see a rookie starting around half of the games, and it could even be two different rookies.
Nonetheless, the main goal of taking Sanders and Gabriel wasn't to find the next Brock Purdy - it was to find guys who can be long-term backups on affordable rookie contracts. It would undeniably be great if one of the rookies were the next mid-to-late-round quarterback success story, but setting that as an expectation is unrealistic when you notice most starting quarterbacks are first-round picks.
2026 is the final year Deshaun Watson is under contract, and the Browns could look to finally take the dead cap hit starting next season. In that case, they will need to offset that cap hit somewhere, and having an expensive position like quarterback filled with two to three players on rookie deals is the perfect way to do that.