No matter what the Cleveland Browns front office does, they might not be able to escape another year of disappointment. Or at least that’s what it looks like as the team stands at the precipice of a new NFL season. Kenny Pickett was forced to take the high road to the Las Vegas Raiders, Joe Flacco is an 18-year veteran who hardly spells franchise QB anymore, and Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders are two mid-round rookies/primary backups. The result? A quarterback room that’s sure to turn the head coach’s plans to redemption upside down.

The Athletic‘s Zac Jackson made an ambitious/unexpected prediction on August 30: “At least three different quarterbacks start games”. Elaborating more, the journalist further noted, “I don’t know how bold this really is considering team owner Jimmy Haslam said on record in late July that the Browns need to evaluate their two rookie quarterbacks before next year’s draft — and that head coach Kevin Stefanski knows that.”

“But Week 1 starter Joe Flacco is 40, and this Browns team is much more likely to be near the bottom of the league than the playoff race by November. Eleven times since their 1999 return to the NFL, the Browns have had at least three starting quarterbacks. Let’s count on that becoming 12 times and another streak extending after five players started at the role in 2023 and four last year,” he concluded. Looks like with Flacco starting, Gabriel as backup, and Sanders stuck as the emergency third string, the Browns are once again playing quarterback musical chairs. This is definitely not the kind of shuffling that the team can benefit from.

Sports Illustrated‘s Andy Quach’s worst-case scenario kind of alluded to the same: “With veteran Joe Flacco at the helm and a strong defense, the Browns stumble backward into a bad but not horrible record, something between four and seven wins.” Yet, Sanders’ preseason flashes couldn’t outweigh concerns about his slow decision-making and pocket presence. And Stefanski made it clear: Sanders will dress on game days. But only play if both Flacco and Gabriel are unavailable, never if one is just benched. That’s not exactly the recipe for building confidence or momentum.

So here we are again. The Browns’ quarterback carousel spins with no end in sight. Owner Jimmy Haslam predicted a struggle for QB clarity back in July. And Stefanski’s depth chart decisions prove just how tough the ride ahead will be. But the franchise is investing time and money in keeping all four QBs on the roster. Flacco (over $4M base), Pickett traded, Gabriel ($840k base), and Sanders ($840k base). It’s a bet on development more than immediate success. The QB rollercoaster that’s plagued Cleveland for decades shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

What Sanders’ role really means

Shedeur Sanders entered the Browns camp with confidence. Boldly predicting he’d “obviously” make the 53-man roster and eventually be the franchise-defining QB. But reality hit hard when the depth chart came out. Sanders is the third-string quarterback, suited up primarily as an emergency option. Meaning he’ll sit out game days unless the unthinkable happens.

Stefanski made things crystal clear. As per Ian Rapoport, “#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski tells reporters that Shedeur Sanders will be the third QB, meaning he’s able to dress for games.” Sanders can dress on game days but will only see action if both Flacco and Gabriel are sidelined. The Browns are also leveraging the NFL’s 2023 Bylaw Proposal 1A. It allows an emergency QB to dress as the 49th man on game days, but with strict usage rules.

For Sanders, this means a spot on the roster with limited real playing time for now. Meanwhile, the Browns keep their fingers crossed that their QB carousel slows down – though the history and preseason turmoil say otherwise.