John Madden said it best: “If you have two quarterbacks [in one room], you have none.” Suggesting that multiple QBs vying for the QB1 spot can s-ck the oxygen out of the room. Yeah, that’s exactly what the Browns’ quarterback room feels like. Packed, over-hyped, and still lacking in impact. Cleveland will welcome camp with more quarterbacks than healthy wideouts between Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders. And what they also lack is a clear long-term strategy. The irony? Even after giving Deshaun Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract and spending four first-round picks on quarterbacks since 2007, they still lack a franchise quarterback they can rely on.

And while the Browns’ official stance is still “open competition” at quarterback, insiders are saying the quiet part out loud… Cleveland’s already eyeing the next chapter. Not only is Shedeur not at the center of it, he might not even be on clipboard duty come cut day. That’s the real shocker. From the future face of the franchise to potentially off the depth chart? Things are moving fast in Berea.

One name not currently on the roster is getting all the attention: Drew Allar. The Browns are already being linked to the Penn State quarterback as their long-term play. Maybe even with the No. 1 pick in 2026, per Ryan McCrystal and Mike Moraitis. “If Allar can build on what he did last season in 2025, he could be the first signal-caller selected. And the Browns are a very realistic landing spot for him if they stink it up like many expect them to,” Moraitis noted. Translation? This isn’t just draft hype. The Allar buzz is officially on the Browns’ radar.

Allar, a raw but rocket-armed quarterback, completed 54% of his deep throws (15+ yards), good for third place among Power Four quarterbacks. Cleveland hasn’t sniffed a ceiling like that in years. But let’s get back to reality. First, the Browns snagged Gabriel. Then in came Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado icon, who is performing the best among the 4 QBs in the camps. So what gives? Stefanski has already made up his mind, according to Jay Crawford. The draft order revealed Pickett was a sought-after player. Flacco re-signed. They selected Gabriel in the third round. But Shedeur? Backfill. Afterthought. Does anyone have déjà vu?

Former Browns safety Tyvis Powell connected the dots on The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, and his take on Kevin Stefanski’s handling of quarterbacks? Brutal. According to Powell, Stefanski set Dorian Thompson-Robinson up to fail. “It’s crazy to me that y’all sit there and say, because the guy was drafted in the 5th round, like that’s an excuse… Who prepared him to play was by not telling him he’s playing. Like, that’s terrible coaching to me.”

DTR got shipped to Philly. In came Kenny Pickett. Different fifth-rounder, same messy script. And now? Shedeur is walking into the same chaos, with more expectations and even less clarity. At this point, you have to wonder: Is he just the latest passenger on Stefanski’s out-of-control QB carousel?

Stefanski must choose between Joe Flacco and Shedeur Sanders

Okay, let’s not overcomplicate it. According to James Jones, Kenny Pickett is the team’s best option. Not 40-year-old Flacco or the developing rookies. He said on the recent episode of the Facility, “If he [Pickett] goes out here and plays well, that’s a bonus for your football team, and then you have two young dudes behind them that you are developing. Joe Flacco going out there, I absolutely disagree with that because he’s older. You’re not going to win a lot.” Jones doubled down that Shedeur was “the most talented quarterback on that roster.” He also made it clear that Stefanski should base his decision on age, upside, and trade value.”

Nathan Zegura went into great detail to explain who might get cut. On 92.3 The Fan, he explained why Flacco might be the first one out, reinforced that reasoning. “If he [Pickett] plays well. There are two possible outcomes. One is that he plays well enough that you try to see if you can find a way to afford him, which might honestly be unlikely. The other part is if he plays really well and then goes and signs somewhere, let’s call it in the you know 20 to $30 million a year range.” But Flacco provides no such future value. As a bridge quarterback with trade or comp pick potential, Zegura stressed that Pickett offers Cleveland choices. “So if somebody was to be moved, it would, in my mind it would probably be Flacco,” Zegura added.

That’s the reality Shedeur Sanders is facing. There’s no leash, no patience, and certainly no roadmap. In Cleveland’s current quarterback climate, it’s less about grooming and more about gambling, and Shedeur’s odds aren’t looking great. The writing’s on the wall, and unless something flips fast, he may find himself out before he even gets a fair snap.