As it's been all summer and will continue to be all season long, the quarterback remains the main talking point in Cleveland. In perhaps the most intriguing room in the league, with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett to go with third-rounder Dillon Gabriel and fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders, the Browns have acknowledged there's a real chance they keep all four on the roster.
Many would assume the battle is between Flacco and Pickett for Week 1, as the only third-round or later quarterbacks to start since 2008 are Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott. In Sanders' case, the last time a fifth-round pick won the starting job out of camp was Randy Hedberg of the Buccaneers in 1977. However, former scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks one of Gabriel or Sanders will start in Week 1.
Daniel Jeremiah thinks Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders will start Week 1
Jeremiah believes Flacco's spot on the roster is safe and there will be two spots for Pickett, Gabriel, and Sanders, despite Berry's comments. Because of the capital invested in the two rookies, Jeremiah thinks Pickett will have to play out of his mind during camp to earn a spot. Ultimately, he has one of the rookies starting in Week 1, with Flacco on the roster as insurance in case neither can run the offense coherently.
"To me, I think Joe Flacco is just in case they don't feel like they can be competent in the position. Then you insert Joe. I think their Week 1 starter is going to be one of those two rookies. I really feel that way."Daniel Jeremiah
Following the trade down from No. 2 to No. 5, where the Browns added Jacksonville's 2026 first-round pick, next year instantly became the best time to add a quarterback in a stronger class with the likely ammunition to get their top choice. Jeremiah feels this will play a role in getting those two on the field sooner than usual, so they can get a decent evaluation before an important draft next year.
"I think you have to learn this year... They have to know what they have in those two rookies."Daniel Jeremiah
History certainly disagrees with Jeremiah's prediction, but there aren't many comparable situations to the one the Browns are in at quarterback. As of now, 2026 seems like the year the franchise signal caller is taken. Until then, it makes a lot of sense to see if they found gold in Gabriel or Sanders, which would put them in an ideal situation heading into next season.