The Browns have suddenly jumped from QB-less to QB-overwhelmed. While they were busy navigating the difficult dead charges of Deshaun Watson, GM Andrew Berry and HC Kevin Stefanski suddenly bagged 2 veterans and 2 rookies. While Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett have the required NFL experience, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders have also started with a bang.

In the rookie practice and mandatory minicamp, they had mostly positive reviews. While Gabriel brings a mix of versatility, working with different teams in college, Sanders has lived his entire life in the league, courtesy of his father, Deion Sanders. But ESPN Cleveland analyst Tony Grossi believes the franchise needs to give up on them.

During the June 20 episode of The Sick Podcast with Andy McNamara, the host tossed a question, “How would this Browns quarterback room be viewed differently if Shadur Sanders was not drafted by the Browns?” For this, Grossi quipped, “Dillon Gabriel would shape up as the developmental guy. Yeah, a future backup and potential starter occasionally. I thought that the drafting of Shedeur complicated the whole thing. With that came the unintended consequence of him being just an overwhelming favorite, externally by all his fans and fans of Colorado.” He then claimed that the Browns would have been fine irrespective of whether they signed Shedeur Sanders or not. But he then made a prophetic prediction.

“This year, it is important for Gabriel and Sanders not to compete for the starting job, but to prove that they can handle the NFL way of life and potentially start next year.” And his prediction? “I tell all my listeners, and they don’t like hearing it, but the franchise quarterback is in next year’s draft,” Grossi added. The reason is that Flacco and Pickett will not be there, which will leave the Browns with 3 rookies to choose from. Moreover, they would have also seen the ability of both quarterbacks.

In some aspects, it’s right as well. With 4 QBs in their kitty, the GM-HC duo is trying to give maximum reps to all of them. Dillon Gabriel looked like the perfect choice for their franchise. But things have gotten out the control with Shedeur Sanders in the camp. A 5th-round pick (144th overall), he overshadows any other rookie of 2025. Be it his flash of diamond chains or cars, many believe he should get a chance to prove himself.

Amid all this hype around their QB room, the management is busy fighting a lawsuit for their $600 million destination project. Their poor record also haunts them.

Shedeur Sanders needs to become the Batman of the Browns

They say misery loves company, but even in that bleak fraternity, the Browns sit alone. Since the calendar flipped to 2000, Cleveland owns an NFL‑worst 139‑264‑1 mark, a .344 win rate. Only Jacksonville (153‑251, .38) and Detroit (158‑244‑2, .39) even sniff the same basement, and both have managed occasional spikes of joy that Cleveland can only envy.

Rewind to 1999, the expansion‑yet‑not‑expansion Browns returned after Art Modell’s midnight move. That first season ended 2‑14, Chris Palmer staring at a depth chart that looked more Arena League than NFL. Three years later came a surprise 9‑7 playoff cameo in 2002, Kelly Holcomb nearly shocking Pittsburgh. From 2003 to 2015, the Browns rotated seven head coaches, two owners, and enough quarterbacks to staff an entire UFL.

The nadir arrived in Hue Jackson’s back‑to‑back horror show, 1‑31 across 2016‑2017, capped by the infamous 0‑16 in 2017. That winter, they drafted Myles Garrett, finally admitting you can’t patch a dam with tape and desperation. Then 2020 flashed like lightning. Kevin Stefanski’s first year produced an 11‑5 record, a 48‑37 wild‑card win in Pittsburgh. Whispers began that maybe the curse was cracking. It was their first playoff victory since Bill Belichick stalked the sideline in 1994.

But momentum in Cleveland is a fragile thing. Injuries, quarterback drama, and front‑office turmoil brought the team back to Earth, bottoming out at 3‑14 in 2024. The result? A 25‑year ledger dotted with four winning seasons, three playoff appearances, and exactly one January triumph. They cling to the eternal promise of next year, counting on a new stadium, fresh cap space, and maybe the draft’s next savior. Because in this town, hope resets faster than the loss column can fill, an unbreakable habit forged by the worst record of the millennium.