Following the official NFL schedule release on Wednesday night, it became a little clearer as to when it makes sense for the Browns to make the inevitable move to one of their rookie quarterbacks. As of now, the starting spot seems to be wide open, but it would be sensible to assume Kenny Pickett or Joe Flacco has a slight leg up for now.
The Browns are one of three teams without a primetime game in 2025 following their 3-14 season. Tennessee and New Orleans are the other two teams, but the Titans could have a very intriguing matchup later in the season against Cleveland. With Tennessee likely having top-overall pick Cam Ward under center, this Week 14 matchup could feature two rookie quarterbacks.
NFL schedule hints at potential rookie quarterback showdown in Week 14
Throughout the majority of the pre-draft process, Ward and Shedeur Sanders were thought to be the unanimous top-two quarterbacks in the class, and many thought they had a good chance to go one and two to the Titans and Browns. Both ended up where many projected them to go, just not nearly in the manner that anyone would have expected following Sanders' slide.
Regardless of whether it's Sanders or Dillon Gabriel, Week 14 is likely going to be started by a rookie for Cleveland, barring an unexpected run from Flacco or Pickett that has them in the postseason picture. They are set to have a bye week in Week 9, and five of the six games after the bye are against teams that were under .500 a year ago, making it a perfect time to transition to a rookie.
Read More: First Browns schedule news confirms overseas clash
Unlike years prior, only two quarterbacks went in the first round, so matchups between two rookies won't be as common in 2025. Tyler Shough of the Saints and Jaxson Dart of the Giants are the two other rookie quarterbacks who appear to have a good shot at playing time this year, but the Browns won't get a chance at either of them.
The Browns and Titans don't have very high expectations for the season, with win totals at 4.5 and 5.5 on betting sites, respectively. However, this could be an entertaining evaluation game that both teams look forward to late in the season. It remains to be seen which rookie quarterback, if any, would get the nod for this game between Gabriel and Sanders, but it would be quite surprising if neither were the starter by this point in the season.