The 2025 NFL Draft has been Browns’ cataclysmic fall of standout Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders. No one knows why he fell and whether his fall was justified at this point, and plenty of conjecture on that subject is flying around the NFL world. What is going under the radar is the odd logic of his future team, the Cleveland Browns. With five quarterbacks on the roster and contradictory draft day moves, questions need to be asked about the thought process in Cleveland.
Before the draft, Cleveland brought back 2023 hero Joe Flacco on a one-year deal, in what was widely viewed as a depth signing. Deshaun Watson is still on the roster, though it’s doubtful he’ll ever take a snap again after re-tearing his Achilles earlier in the offseason. The team made a prior offseason trade for Kenny Pickett, formerly Jalen Hurts’ backup in Philly. Most expected that the Browns would go QB at some point in the draft, to add an infusion of youth.
When the Browns traded back from the second pick and acquired another 2026 first, one could perceive the strategy they seemed to be shooting for. Don’t openly punt the 2025 season, but realize that playoffs are probably not a possibility, so bring in some young talent to bide time until the 2026 draft, where that extra first can be used to go after a true franchise quarterback.
The selection of Dillon Gabriel in the third followed this logic. It helps the team to stay afloat but doesn’t tie them up long-term. This plan came crumbling down when the Browns traded up to pick 144 to draft Shedeur Sanders. Firstly, the QB room ballooned to 5 potential starters before training camp, none of whom were easily gotten rid of, save Flacco. Secondly, Sanders’ quality as a prospect presents the possibility that he’s too good to justify throwing aside to aim higher in 2026. Sanders does not possess a very high ceiling, and there exists real potential for the Browns to tie themselves to a middle-of-the-line starter for the near future.
The move has the fingerprints of owner Jimmy Haslam all over it. His push for the cataclysmically terrible Deshaun Watson trade has left a dark cloud over the organization, and his potential meddling in this draft choice could continue it. The worst part is that it stains the reputation of General Manager Andrew Berry. Berry has assembled extremely talented rosters and drafted well in his tenure, but the Watson trade reverses nearly all that progress.
A team that has taken a million steps back from its successes in recent years, the Browns once again seem to have undone a relatively successful draft in favor of the flashy paper move. This article isn’t meant to demean Shedeur Sanders or his quality as a prospect, but rather his destination, showing panic and desperation. Hopefully, it works out, otherwise, the jobs of many within the organization are on the line, potentially through no fault of their own.
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