Many fans heading into the upcoming NFL Draft have expected the Cleveland Browns to select a quarterback, perhaps in the first round, to solve the franchise’s long-standing quarterback woes.
Signing 2023 regular season hero Joe Flacco back to join the quarterback room further complicates the QB situation, but team legend Hanford Dixon recently revealed how the signing benefits the Browns for this upcoming season.
In a recent episode of The Hanford Dixon Show, Dixon spoke fondly of the Flacco signing, saying it gives the Browns a much-needed cushion because Kenny Pickett was the only other quarterback on the roster.
“”I think it gives the Browns a little more cushion, because the only quarterback before this signing was [Kenny] Pickett,” Dixon said. “Now that we have [Joe] Flacco, we know we have a guy that we can count on to go in right now and he can start from day one.”
Who benefits the most from signing Joe Flacco? #Browns
"I think it gives the Browns a little more cushion, because the only quarterback before this signing was Pickett."
Presented by https://t.co/eLIHIUQcCx pic.twitter.com/MZ7OTp71U7
— The Hanford Dixon Show (@TopDawgShow) April 19, 2025
The presence of Flacco and Pickett implies that this team is ripe for another young quarterback in the upcoming draft, and that rookie could very well come in the form of a first-round pick.
It’s tough to sell this fan base on a competition between Flacco and Pickett coming off a brutal 14-loss season, but a high-profile rookie could make things interesting.
The Browns appear to be set to take either Colorado’s Travis Hunter or Penn State’s Abdul Carter at No. 2, but with nine other picks in the draft and both Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart’s stocks seemingly falling in recent weeks, Cleveland is one of the ideal candidates to trade up into the end of the first round and select a quarterback in order to secure that coveted fifth year of control on their rookie contract.
Flacco is a great mentor to have around and has proven in recent years to be more than capable of filling in as a starter, but this team needs to keep an eye on the future, and that could come in just a few days during the draft.
NEXT: Analyst Names 3 Pass-Catchers Browns Could Target In NFL Draft
