The Browns have used 11 draft picks since 2022 on quarterbacks. Believe it or not, it's true. They are the most quarterback-obsessed team in the NFL, worshipping a messianic Franchise Quarterback that can never exist with the dearth of talent on the rest of the team. It's a vicious cycle. With a weak offense, no quarterback can succeed. Without success, the Browns become more desperate for their Franchise Quarterback. Well, THERE IS NO MAGICAL FRANCHISE QUARTERBACK IN CLEVELAND. STOP IT! Build the team from the ground up, as ever GM has tried to do until he got fired.
Anyway, here we go:
In 2022, not only did the Browns commit to spending $230 million on Deshaun Watson, but they also threw in the following six draft picks:
2022: Round 1 Round 4
2023: Round 1 Round 3
2024: Round 1 Round 4
In 2023, they also drafted Dorian Thompson-Robinson, an exciting but undersized quarterback in Round 5. There is no way to prove it, but this writer believes this pick was ordered by Jimmy Haslam. The evidence is DTR was promoted immediately to second string out of training camp, which is just bizarre, and in 2024, in the middle of the year they demoted Jameis Winston for no reason and once again DTR became second string. That made no sense and suggests meddling from the owner. Anyway, that's 7 picks.
For 2025, the Browns traded DTR plus a Round 6 pick to the 49ers for former Steeler Kenny Pickett. That’s eight.
In 2025 they also drafted Dillon Gabriel in Round 3. That’s nine. It's also a stupid pick given that he is too small and too slow to be an NFL quarterback and he is also 24 years old, which is a bit outside the norm. But anyway, that's nine.
Then they traded a Round 5 and Round 6 pick to move up and take Shedeur Sanders earlier in Round 5. That's 11 picks.
Plus we tend to forget that Deshaun Watson is still on the roster with $167 million left on his deal. The Browns probably would like to spread it over three years rather than two (if they cut him this season they can spread it out between 2025 and 2026), so he has to have a roster spot when he is healthy enough to play, even if he just sits on the bench. It's too expensive to cut him.
So with Watson, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco on the roster...um, how much room is there for rookies? Uh, none. There are five quarterbacks on the roster and three roster spots. Why are the Browns blowing draft picks and cap on quarterbacks that cannot be kept on the roster?
Your guess is as good as mine. Is Andrew Berry really this foolish, or is owner meddling to blame?
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