The Browns are heading into one of the most important offseasons this franchise has had in years, and the quarterback position is once again at the center of it all.
With two first-round picks and no clear long-term answer under center, the debate has already started. Do you draft another quarterback early? Do you roll with Shedeur Sanders? Do you bring in a veteran? Or some combination of all three?
Former NFL player Ross Tucker weighed in this week with a plan that is already getting attention around the league.
And it does not involve taking a quarterback in the first round.
“I would be inclined to go with a veteran and keep Shedeur as my young guy to compete with that veteran,” he said. “I’m not necessarily convinced that a quarterback that they would draft would be better than Shedeur. But you can’t just go with Shedeur.”
Sanders just finished his rookie season in Cleveland, and while it was far from perfect, it was far from a disaster, too. He showed poise in tough spots, took hits, kept getting back up, and flashed real arm talent. He also had his share of head-scratching turnovers, which is exactly what you would expect from a rookie thrown into chaos.
The upside is obvious. The consistency is not there yet.
Tucker also made it clear he is not sold on this quarterback class at the top of the Browns’ draft range.
“I wouldn’t take Ty Simpson from Alabama over Shedeur,” he said. “I think Dante Moore, I probably would. The problem is that I don’t think he makes it to No. 6. I think Dante Moore will go No. 2 to the Jets. And the Raiders are taking Fernando Mendoza one.”
If that prediction is even close to right, the Browns could be staring at a board where the top quarterbacks are gone before they pick.
That brings the conversation back to reality.
This roster has major holes. Wide receiver is thin. The offensive line needs an overhaul. The offense needs young talent in a hurry. Spending the sixth pick on a quarterback who might not even be better than Sanders right now is a gamble.
A dangerous one.
The veteran plus Sanders plan at least gives the Browns flexibility. You protect the rookie. You add competition. You avoid forcing another young quarterback into a broken situation. And you still use premium draft capital to fix the roster around whoever eventually wins the job.
It may not be flashy.
But after years of panic moves at quarterback, boring might finally be the smart option.
Because the worst thing the Browns could do is rush another young quarterback into the same mess and expect a different result.
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Browns Legend Names What He Wants In The Next Coach