Browns Reject Trade Offers for Rookie QB as Quarterback Battle Heats Up

The Browns have said that Gabriel, Sanders, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett all have a chance to win the starting job in Cleveland. Veteran Tyler Huntley was added to the mix this week, with Gabriel and Pickett dealing with injuries.

The team is open to keeping four quarterbacks on the active roster, and ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter believes they’ll do so.

“I now think the Browns are more likely than not to carry four quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster,” Schefter said on his podcast. “Now, hear me out. It is rare when a team drafts a quarterback in the middle rounds and winds up releasing him.

“And we’ve always thought that both rookie quarterbacks would make the 53-man roster. Barring an injury, Shedeur’s shoulder or Kenny Pickett’s hamstring getting worse, assuming they both get healthy, even though they might not be today. I think both rookie quarterbacks are on the Browns’ final 53-man roster.”

Browns Owner Wants Rookie QBs to Play

Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Browns have cycled through 40 starting quarterbacks, consistently failing to find a long-term solution under center. But with two rookies now in the mix, owner Jimmy Haslam wants to see both in action before making any decisions about the franchise’s future.

“Absolutely, absolutely,” Haslam said when asked about the importance of evaluating the rookies in live games. “Kevin Stefanski is aware of that, he knows how important quarterback is. He and Andrew Berry talk about those kinds of things all the time. It’s a daily, ongoing conversation.”

The Browns are taking a measured approach, with the understanding that their evaluation period could extend into the regular season. Cleveland owns two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, including the Jacksonville Jaguars’ selection, which they acquired after trading down from No. 2 to No. 5 this year.

While the move cost them a shot at Heisman winner Travis Hunter, the Browns used the No. 5 pick to strengthen their defensive front with defensive tackle Mason Graham.

Cleveland could package its first-round picks to move up for a top quarterback in next year’s draft. But first, the team needs to evaluate Sanders and Gabriel.