“Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.” Don Shula’s words still ring true in today’s game, especially in Cleveland. The Browns’ 2024 season was a shocking fall from grace. And looking back, it felt like it could have been avoided. Just a year ago (in 2023), the team was one of the NFL’s feel-good stories, with Joe Flacco coming off the street to steady the ship. With Deshaun Watson sidelined by a shoulder injury, Flacco managed to push Cleveland into the playoffs. The NFL’s top defense backed him up, led by Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

But the postseason ended early with a loss to Houston. Still, the Browns entered 2024 with hope – if only they could solve their quarterback mess and adjust their offense to fit it. Spoiler alert: they couldn’t. That context matters because it sets the stage for why the Browns are sticking with four quarterbacks this season – Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders – rather than trimming the list. Add a fifth one, too. Tyler Huntley in the name of a preseason arm to see out the growing pains. The QB carousel of years past has taught them that depth and development are key. Better to have too many quarterbacks than not enough. The fallback is clear: don’t put all your chips on one quarterback. One can’t help but wonder what Howie Long said: “You really can’t have two QBs in the same room. They’ll suck the oxygen out!”

And then there’s the elephant in the room: Arch Manning. The Browns have long been rumored to have their eye on the Texas prodigy. As Mary Kay Cabot wrote: “What’s more, both [Sanders and Gabriel] will likely get a chance to play in the second half of the season to help inform the Browns draft plans for 2026. They have two first-round picks, their own and the Jaguars, and will be in the hunt for a franchise quarterback – possibly even Texas’ Arch Manning – pretty much regardless of what happens this season.”

While Mary’s words ring loud in Cleveland, the Dawg Pound must have been more thrilled to hear what Arch Manning had to say. His walk-back of his grandfather’s comments didn’t guarantee anything, but it left just enough wiggle room for Cleveland to latch onto hope. After Archie Manning hinted his grandson would stay at Texas, Arch corrected the record: “Yeah, I don’t know where he got that from. He texted me and apologized about that. I’m really just taking it day by day right now.” For a Browns team staring at another ESPN projected 4–13 season downhill, that sounded like oxygen. Manning now inherits Quinn Ewers’ role in Austin with the Longhorns’ offense already humming at 278.8 passing yards per game last year.

Every snap he takes will be watched from Berea, where owner Jimmy Haslam’s well-documented “thirst” … As ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Rizzo put it… Has already led to a VIP Browns contingent at Texas–Ohio State and looms larger with two first-round picks in 2026 at his disposal. After 34 quarterbacks since 1999, Cleveland’s desperation is nothing new, but this time it feels aimed at football royalty. And that obsession might eventually collide with Manning’s path.

But now the narrative is being downplayed. Jimmy Haslam has indicated that Manning is likely to stay at Texas for the next two seasons, a common path in the Manning family. “I think if you know the Manning family, I would bet that — and I don’t know Arch at all — I would bet he stays in college two years,” Haslam said, via ESPN. “So, I don’t even really think that’s worth discussing.” Haslam has a deep connection with the Mannings, having tried to bring Peyton Manning into the Browns’ front office. Still, he’s cautioning fans not to read too much into the speculation. 

Meanwhile, Arch Manning has kept his focus firmly on the present rather than entertaining the swirling draft rumors. Reporters asked him earlier this month if he planned to leave the Texas Longhorns early to declare for the NFL Draft. Manning simply deflected the question. “I’m really just worried about getting through this interview and then getting through the run tomorrow,” he told reporters at SEC Media Days in Atlanta. “I’m just focused on this year and getting better each day.” No matter how long Arch Manning stays in college, the Browns are making sure they’re ready – building depth now while keeping their eyes firmly on the prize down the road. And for Shedeur Sanders, that means his spot on the roster is as secure as ever. 

The Browns stand firm: No cuts or trades for Sanders

Upfront, the Browns’ quarterback depth chart is no accident. The team named Flacco the Week 1 starter, but the situation remains fluid. Pickett is nursing a hamstring injury and will step in as a key backup once healthy. Meanwhile, rookies Dillon and Shedeur have impressed in the preseason, earning genuine developmental reps. Sanders, in particular, is living up to his “Legendary” nickname with pinpoint accuracy and ball placement that belies his rookie status. Both Gabriel and Sanders will see game time this season, their performance likely informing the Browns’ draft strategy next year. This gives Cleveland options – four quarterbacks, four chances to get it right.

Mary Kay Cabot recently put to rest any trade or cut rumors. “And no, the #Browns aren’t cutting Shedeur Sanders or trading Kenny Pickett,” Cabot wrote on X. The Browns plan to keep all four quarterbacks on the roster. It’s a financially sound move as well: together, the four take up just over $7.6 million in cap space. A modest hit when compared to the $35.9 million cap number carried by Watson, whose contract looms large in the salary cap room. This cost-effective depth offers Cleveland flexibility and security. If Flacco struggles, Pickett is ready. Gabriel and Sanders ensure the bench isn’t just warm bodies but developmental assets with potential future starting upside.

In short, the Browns are playing this hand carefully. They’re betting on four quarterbacks. Hedging their bets with development and experience, and quietly watching the horizon for Arch Manning or another star to emerge. There will be no cutting Shedeur, no trading Pickett – that much is clear. Jimmy Haslam remains the architect drawing new plans for the Browns’ quarterback future, one careful move at a time.