Browns Embrace the Chaos After Drafting Third QB in 2 Years

Legendary head coach John Madden used to say: If you have two quarterbacks, then you really have none.

Somebody should familiarize the Cleveland Browns with Madden's teachings because they just drafted their third quarterback in the last two drafts - and they already have $230 million QB Deshaun Watson on the roster as well.

Cleveland was in the exact same situation last year.

It began the season with Joe Flacco as the starter, backed up by Kenny Pickett, 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, and 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders.

Pickett was ultimately traded before the regular season, and Flacco was dealt a few weeks into the year. Gabriel took over the starting job but gave way to Sanders after failing to provide an offensive spark.

The Browns will head to camp with four QBs again this year after drafting Arkansas' Taylen Green with the first pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Green ran a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash at the combine - the fastest among all QBs - and he's got a cannon for an arm. He's still raw as a prospect, however, and he's going to need a year or two before he's ready to compete for a starting job.

But Cleveland wants more competition in the QB room. Sanders is the presumed starter, but Watson, who's coming off two Achilles injuries, could push him for starting reps.

After Green's selection, ESPN's Field Yates pondered whether some teams could call up Browns general manager Andrew Barry to inquire about trading for Gabriel. However, ESPN's Adam Schefter quickly poured cold water on that theory.

"Despite drafting QB Taylen Green today, the Browns say they have no plans to trade QB Dillon Gabriel," Schefter tweeted.

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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 2:02 PM.