Cleveland Browns 'more likely than not' to keep four quarterbacks on regular season roster, per report
The Browns might really go into the season with a four-man QB depth chart
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Shedeur Sanders gets his first real opportunity to show the Cleveland Browns what he can do when he starts their preseason opener. He sits fourth on their depth chart behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
Most anticipated the Browns to cut one of those quarterbacks by the end of training camp, but Cleveland might go against conventional wisdom and carry all four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Adam Schefter reported on his podcast that he believes that is "more likely than not" at this point, noting the more he talks to folks around the league, the more he believes Cleveland will use four roster spots on quarterbacks.
Schefter notes confidence that both Gabriel and Sanders will be on the roster and Flacco is the frontrunner to start, which puts Pickett as the odd man out. However, he suggests the Browns will keep him in hopes of in-season trade opportunities.
The Browns actually have six quarterbacks on their roster after signing Tyler Huntley due to injuries to Pickett and Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson on injured reserve. Watson will remain there all season and does not count towards their roster count, while Huntley came in for another arm in camp and the preseason. He will almost assuredly be cut later. Still, keeping Flacco, Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders would be an aggressive decision from Andrew Berry, just to try and recoup a late-round draft pick later in the season.
The problem with keeping four quarterbacks on the roster is what it does to depth elsewhere. Keeping an extra quarterback means shortening the rotation at another position and adding stress somewhere on your roster. Some teams go with two quarterbacks and have an emergency QB at another position just to open up spots for extra linemen or defensive backs.
If Schefter is right, the Browns will instead go the other way and leave just 49 spots for the rest of the roster so they can keep four players at a position only one can play at a time. That's a bold call from the front office, but perhaps it'll pay dividends later if they can cash in on one of those QBs via a trade when a team is desperate for quarterback help.
