Ever tried to solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded, underwater, with the clock ticking down? That’s about what it feels like to be Kevin Stefanski right now. The Cleveland Browns’ head coach is staring at a QB room so packed it might as well have a bouncer at the door. But regardless of who gets the QB1 crown, the Browns are staring down a season with all the odds stacked against them. Before a single snap, and even before the QB1 decision, there are bigger writings on the wall for Stefanski.
Kevin Stefanski is entering the ‘25 season with a job on the line, a fan base out of patience, and a QB scramble that’s more ‘Survivor: Cleveland’ than a strategic master plan. WR Dionte Johnson believes the answer is clear: Joe Flacco behind Kenny Pickett. “I think they are going to roll with Kenny for right now. – Then Joe will come in. – I think they are going to stick with him through the preseason.” But that’s just the preseason and the regular season. For the Browns, even with Flacco in play (who took the Browns to the playoffs back in 23), no matter who wins the slot, that playoff berth feels like a long-lost dream.
On ESPN’s Get Up, the analysts discussed which teams (with rookies) could make the playoffs this year. There has been a notable trend of rookies balling out in the postseason. Brock Purdy in ‘22, CJ Stroud the next season, and Jayden Daniels last season. But when Harry Douglas was asked if this trend of rookie QBs winning playoff games will continue, he had a hot take to share. Douglas sees the trend ending this season for all the teams that have potential rookie starters on their roster. But for the Browns, it’s not just the rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. It’s much worse. As Douglas put it bluntly, “You have the Cleveland Browns. Whether it’s whatever quarterback that they drafted or whatever quarterback that they have, they’re not making the playoffs either.” That’s definitely not the music Kevin Stefanski wants to listen to.
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Now here’s the kicker. It’s not just Douglas who sees the Browns on a losing streak. With Super Bowl odds of +25000, Fox sees a 0.4% chance of the team lifting the Lombardi Trophy. And the playoffs? According to other sportsbooks, the Browns have a whopping 93.3% chance of missing the playoffs this season. That’s not just bad – that’s ‘start planning for next year’ bad. Voices around the league also believe planning for next year might just be the way to go. With some even noting, the Browns should lose as many games as possible so they can secure a top pick for the ‘26 draft.
Missing a playoff berth isn’t the only cause for concern in the Browns’ locker room, though. The ever-present QB scramble hasn’t just left the question of who’ll be starting Week 1. There’s also the question of a rookie with big dreams having to find a new place to play. For Shedeur Sanders, the rumor mills are spinning the trade threads again.
Shedeur Sanders’ trade buzz and the rookie journey
Shedeur Sanders’ NFL journey feels like he’s walked into the wrong movie. What started with the draft fall eventually led to him fighting for practice reps. Even the roster spot battle continues for the guy who was once touted to be an early draft steal. Perhaps Sanders, too, senses the uncertainty of his future as he grinds through late-night practice sessions in the rain wearing a Browns helmet. But as trade rumors continue to swirl around him, the latest threads have linked him to be Josh Allen’s backup with the Bills.
Four QBs vying for snaps, and a fifth one hinting he’ll be back during the season. This is a QB room so crowded that a trade isn’t just possible – it’s quite logical. As Mark Sipos noted recently, Buffalo would be a great place to go for developing under veteran QBs. As Sipos put it, “Josh Allen is locked in as the starter, and Mitchell Trubisky is back as the veteran backup. But behind them, there’s room for a developmental quarterback. Sanders would be a low-risk, high-upside addition who could sit behind Allen, learn in a structured offense, and grow without pressure.” Sipos believes Sanders could improve his timing and also work on making faster decisions. The Bills would get that additional limelight that Sanders brings in tow.
For Sanders, a trade is a fresh start and a real opportunity to develop. For the Browns, it’s a buy-low, sell-high deal that could get them a new playmaker for any of the positions that need it, or simply some draft capital to use next year. But for now, Sanders remains all-in with the Browns and continues to market himself as best as he can. If a trade does solidify, do you think he’ll bring the same drive to win the Bills Mafia over?
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