Browns ‘more than likely’ to carry four quarterbacks to open season

The Browns’ quarterback room is expected to be a crowded one. 

Cleveland is conducting one of the wildest preseason QB competitions in recent memory with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett in training camp alongside rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. 

And it appears all four will be on the Browns’ roster come September.

On his self-titled podcast, ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicated that the quartet will be on the season-opening roster when the Browns take on the Bengals on Sept. 7.

“I now think the Browns are more likely than not to carry four quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster,” Schefter said. “Now, hear me out. It is rare when a team drafts a quarterback in the middle rounds and winds up releasing him.

“And we’ve always thought that both rookie quarterbacks would make the 53-man roster. Barring an injury, Shedeur’s shoulder or Kenny Pickett’s hamstring getting worse, assuming they both get healthy, even though they might not be today. I think both rookie quarterbacks are on the Browns’ final 53-man roster.”

The Browns will kick off the preseason on Friday against the Panthers with Sanders under center, with Pickett and Gabriel nursing hamstring injuries. 

The franchise reportedly doesn’t want the 40-year-old Flacco to play in the preseason. 

Cleveland also brought in veteran Tyler Huntley for training camp, but he is not expected to be in serious contention for a roster spot. 

The team also has quarterback Deshaun Watson, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon last January and is expected to miss the season, on the physically unable to perform list. 

A four-man QB room would be highly unusual in the NFL, where every roster spot is precious.

Teams usually carry two signal-callers, and in some cases up to three, but rarely go into a season with four.