It’s “wholly realistic” that the Cleveland Browns will add a young quarterback to compete with Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson for the starting job, according to Browns insider Daniel Oyefusi.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Browns general manager Andrew Berry admitted that the team’s QB competition won’t be just a two-player race.
Many viewed Sanders, who threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions as a rookie while going 3-4 as the starter last season, as the frontrunner for the job with Watson, who’s coming off two Achilles injuries, to push him in camp as the No. 2.
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But as Berry tells it, Cleveland is planning to add a fourth player to the mix to compete with Sanders, Watson, and 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel.
If Cleveland does add another QB, it could signal the team isn’t as high on Sanders as many outside the organization are. In creating more competition, the Browns could be adding a built-in reason to move away from Sanders quickly if he struggles early on.
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“Our lean would be if we do add someone to the quarterback room, it would be someone who’s a younger player most likely,” Berry said, via Oyefusi.
As things sit, the Browns are in good position to build around the supporting cast they already have in running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
Many expect the team to use its two first-round picks on an impact offensive lineman and a premier wide receiver. But as the draft gets into the later rounds, Berry has hinted Cleveland could take a swing on another young signal-caller.
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LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, and Miami’s Carson Beck all had first-round hype heading into last season but fell down draft boards for various reasons.
If the Browns did go QB in later rounds, those four are names to watch.
“We have nine picks this upcoming draft, and I think seven are in the top 150. Three in the top 40. We have a good offensive young core that we brought in last year. And honestly, as we saw last year, there [is] more than one way to generate assets in the NFL. So we’ll always do what’s best for the organization, but we feel really good about our roster right now before the draft.”
The Browns hold the No. 6 and 24 overall picks in Round 1, the 39th overall pick in Round 2, the 70th overall pick in Round 3, and the No. 107 overall pick in Round 4.
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