"Don’t know if there's value in having both" - Peter Schrager singles out Browns QBs not expected to survive final cuts before Week 1 

Peter Schrager sounds off on quarterback conundrum surrounding Kevin Stefanski
Peter Schrager sounds off on quarterback conundrum surrounding Kevin Stefanski's Browns - Getty/CMS

The Cleveland Browns currently have five quarterbacks on the roster, having loaded up on the position during the offseason after Deshaun Watson reinjured his Achilles. However, with most teams having only three on their roster, two of them will inevitably have to leave.

And for insider Peter Schrager, those two are Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. On Tuesday's episode of Pat McAfee's eponymous show, he explained why:

"I think they're going to want to get those guys action — (Dillon) Gabriel and (Shedeur) Sanders. I think they're going to want to have one veteran quarterback. I don’t know if there's value in having both veteran quarterbacks and then having two rookies."

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In his scenario, Pickett and Flacco compete to be the veteran on the roster. Whoever wins is the Week 1 starter, then either Sanders or Gabriel will be the backup, learning the nuances of the game from the bench.

On the other hand, Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot claimed that the Browns will retain all four well into Week 1 – and even possibly up until Nov. 4, the trade deadline – for financial and team-building reasons:

"The base salaries and cap numbers of the four are as follows: Joe Flacco ($4.25 million base, $2.854 million cap); Kenny Pickett ($2.623 million base and cap); third-round pick Dillon Gabriel; ($840,000 base, $1.132 million cap); and Shedeur Sanders ($840,000 base, $951,845 cap).
"Even if one or more of Pickett, Gabriel (and) Sanders demonstrates QB1 potential, they’d be smart to still draft one in the first round next year to stockpile assets. If they end up with a surplus, they’ll have a good, low-budget QB room, and perhaps some tradeable commodities," she added.

Kenny Pickett slammed, Shedeur Sanders praised after Browns minicamp

The quarterback competition within the Browns figures to be one of the most intriguing as spring camp ends and the preseason looms. Zac Jackson, the team's correspondent for The Athletic, noted that Flacco is still his "clear favorite" to become the starter.

Furthermore, he decried trade acquisition Kenny Pickett as "unremarkable" while praising Shedeur Sanders despite the rookie's low draft placement and prior backlash against him:

"It’s fair to say, too, that the addition of Sanders is actually what makes it intriguing. Not just his presence, but the accuracy and decisiveness he’s shown this spring... Sanders has been good enough this spring to make coaches believe he’s worthy of more chances this summer. I think he’s earned that."

The team's preseason begins on Aug. 8 against the Carolina Panthers. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. ET on WEWS 5, ABC's Cleveland-area affiliate.

Cleveland Browns Nation! Check out the latest Cleveland Browns Schedule and dive into the Browns Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Veer Badani
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