The most generous reading of the Cleveland Browns quarterback situation is to call the collection of Kenny Pickett, 40-year old Joe Flacco, late-round draft picks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders and newly signed Tyler Huntley a "surplus." Yet that's exactly what ESPN's Adam Schefter did on a podcast as he discussed what the team's roster might look while also noting that the Browns also have injured Deshaun Watson on the payroll.

Schefter believes that by the time the regular season starts the Browns could make an unprecedented decision to maintain that surplus heading into their Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"My thinking on this after talking to a bunch of people around the league has shifted," said Schefter. I actually now think the Browns are more likely than not to carry four quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster. Now hear me out. I think both rookie quarterbacks are on the Browns' final 53-man roster. Joe Flacco right now seems to be the man who is in the lead today, prior to the preseason games, for the Browns starting quarterback job. Joe Flacco gets a job."

"So that leads us back to Kenny Pickett again," Schefter continued. "Not to mention Snoop Huntley. And I would say this. Kenny Pickett is still young. Kenny Pickett is a former first round draft pick. Kenny Pickett is a quarterback. Teams that have a need at that position if they suffer an injury, you would think that one of the first teams they would call is the Cleveland Browns. Quarterbacks in this league are currency."

The last team to toy with carrying four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster heading into Week 1 was the 2024 Cleveland Browns who started Deshaun Watson with Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson backing him up. Snoop Huntley made the final roster in late August, but was released after no teams tried to trade for him.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Adam Schefter Predicts How Browns Will Handle Quarterback Surplus on Final Roster.

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