Quarterback questions and the Browns have become synonymous. Last season, the team featured a quarterback carousel before eventually naming Shedeur Sanders as their starter. But as the new offseason kicks off, the Browns’ General Manager has decided to add more names to that already crowded quarterback room.

“I think there’s always the possibility,” GM Andrew Berry told reporters at the NFL Combine on February 25, when asked whether the franchise is considering signing another veteran or rookie quarterback to the roster. “But we have a long way to go before we get to that point.”

Cleveland heads into this offseason holding substantial draft capital. They have 10 picks in total, including two in the first round at No. 6 and No. 24. And additional selections are spread across rounds two through seven. 

Despite that kind of flexibility, Berry made clear that the franchise’s primary focus right now is on strengthening other positions, not the quarterback room. But if the right player becomes available and fits what the organization is looking for, Berry has indicated that Cleveland won’t hesitate to take a “swing.”

So Berry hasn’t slammed the door shut on any quarterback addition. Right now, the Browns roster features Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel. That is a veteran presence alongside two quarterbacks entering their sophomore years with room to develop. One would think that’s enough depth at the position to work with comfortably. But not the Browns, obviously.

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“We expect to have a competitive room like that’s going to be important to us, but what that looks like, I can’t exactly define that as we sit here today,” Berry added.

Two things come out of what Berry said. One: The Browns believe they need genuine competition at the quarterback position. Two: the franchise still doesn’t appear to treat the quarterback spot as an essential priority.

On the surface, wanting competition at the most important position sounds like informed, responsible organizational thinking. Having depth and pushing players to earn their roles makes sense. But there is one thing about this approach that simply doesn’t add up, and Cleveland’s own recent history is the proof.

That exact competition approach backfired immensely on the Browns just last season. The entire 2025 offseason went by with former head coach Kevin Stefanski repeating that same word “competition” every time the quarterback question came up. That process led to Joe Flacco as the Week 1 starter. Flacco started four games, went 1-3, and was eventually traded to Cincinnati.

The next man up was Dillon Gabriel, the Browns’ third-round pick they genuinely believed in. He started six games and managed just one win. Finally, the Browns handed Shedeur Sanders the opportunity he had been waiting for. The Colorado product wrapped up the season 3-4 as a starter. Not ideal, but still the best record any Cleveland quarterback posted at that spot throughout the season.

However, the most prized player on the Browns roster is set to suit up this season. And that development alone has significantly raised the chances of Sanders sliding further down the quarterback depth chart before the new season even begins.

Deshaun Watson’s comeback puts Shedeur Sanders on notice

Deshaun Watson hasn’t started a single game this season. In 2024, Watson started seven games for the Browns, managed just one win, and suffered a torn Achilles injury.  Since then, he has spent the time either undergoing surgery or grinding through rehab. But for the first time in over a year, there is a real sense that the veteran quarterback is returning. And he could be taking the reins at the starting spot once again.

“Deshaun’s been working really hard. He’s been working his tail off. Like I said, we’re excited to go into April with all of our players across the roster because competition is something that we really believe in,” Berry said at the Combine.

Importantly, Berry isn’t handing Watson the starting job outright. Instead, the GM emphasized competition, making clear that even Watson will have to earn the role like everyone else. As for Shedeur Sanders, Berry framed the conversation around development and expectation rather than any kind of guarantee.

“I think the biggest thing we want to see from Shedeur is just continued growth,” Berry said. “I think he grew a lot from start one to start seven. Certainly, playing more efficiently, not putting the ball in harm’s way as much will be important while maintaining the ability to produce out of structure and generate explosive plays.”

Sanders’ rookie season was a rollercoaster. He began the year at the bottom of the depth chart, watched two quarterbacks ahead of him struggle, and climbed his way to the starting role in the second half of the season. 

By the time the season ended, Sanders completed 120 of 212 passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and posted an 18.9 QBR. Those numbers were a sharp contrast to his college days at Colorado, where he led the Big 12 in completions (353), attempts (477), completion rate (74%), passing yards (4,134), and touchdowns (37).

However, one of the most visible issues that Sanders struggled with was his pocket presence. The quarterback repeatedly struggled to step up and escape pressure, too often forcing throws instead of resetting or extending plays. That tendency resulted in 10 interceptions and two fumbles across just seven starts. 

The interception problem is not entirely new, either. Sanders threw 13 picks across two seasons at Colorado, with 10 of them coming in his final year alone. The league’s faster pass rushes and tighter coverages have only made that vulnerability more apparent.

For Cleveland, sorting out who leads this franchise on the field and in the locker room is no longer optional. The roster deserves clarity. The fans, who have watched this team cycle through more starting quarterbacks than most franchises see in a decade, deserve stability. And the city of Cleveland deserves a signal-caller that represents it. But whether any of that happens still depends on the one thing the Browns seem to adore above all else: Competition.