Of 11 starting quarterbacks used by the Browns in the Andrew Berry era, only Baker Mayfield (20-12), Joe Flacco (4-2) and Case Keenum (2-0) have winning records.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
When Andrew Berry said, “The reality of it is that [quarterback] room will look different next year,” he laid out finding a new quarterback as the team’s No. 1 priority in his sixth transaction season as Browns GM.
The Browns have burned through 11 starting quarterbacks in the five seasons of the Berry-Kevin Stefanski partnership. COVID, injuries, miscalculations and rampant interceptions are the primary reasons why.
With Deshaun Watson not expected to be available in 2025 after two Achilles tendon surgeries in the span of three months, and Jameis Winston not expected to return, it’s safe to assume Nos. 12 and 13 are on their way. One will be an experienced veteran to begin the season as the starter and one should be a rookie selected in the draft to develop into a future starter.
The Browns must have a quarterback under an economical rookie contract in place as their starter by the 2027 season because Watson’s salary cap charge potentially will be an NFL-record $89.5 million that year – even though he won’t be on the roster by then. There won’t be room for a $10 million+ QB charge aside Watson’s.
In his five seasons on the job, Berry has made one huge trade for a quarterback (Watson) and selected one in the draft (Dorian Thompson-Robinson). That’s not a great track record. It doesn’t inspire confidence that Berry will get it right this year.
At his season-ending press conference on January 6, I asked Berry if the process by which the Browns choose quarterbacks needs to be fixed.
“It’s a good question,” he answered. “I think as we go into the offseason, we have to look at everything … like, we really do. We want to make sure that we’re ‘eyes wide open’ in terms of what we’re doing across football operations.
“That being said, we have good people, we have good coaches, we understand how important the quarterback position is, and that’s obviously going to be a primary goal as we enter the offseason.”
One possible change is to give coach Kevin Stefanski more input in the quarterback evaluation process.
The coach did accompany the contingent that recruited Watson in Houston in March of 2022 when Watson was entertaining contract offers from the Browns, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. Stefanski reportedly introduced Watson to the parameters of his offensive system and tried to sell him on how he would excel in it.
Stefanski, however, has never had a strong presence in draft preparations other than to sit in on video and in-person interviews and workouts at the NFL Combine. Stefanski never has attended the Senior Bowl, for instance, which has become an increasingly important stop in the pre-draft journey.
Further, Stefanski had no say-so in Berry’s decision to trade QB2 Josh Dobbs a week before the 2023 season and none, according to a source, in the decision to not bring back Joe Flacco last year.
Another possible change in Berry’s QB evaluation process could be to include newly-promoted offensive coordinator Tommy Rees in the mix. Rees was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Notre Dame and Alabama before joining the Browns last year.
Something has to change. The Browns lead the league in number of starting quarterbacks used since Berry and Stefanski took over in 2020.
Here’s a rundown of teams with the most starting quarterbacks since 2020, their records, and the GMs who’ve overseen their football operations.
Cleveland (11): Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum, Nick Mullens, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, PJ Walker, Joe Flacco, Jeff Driskel, Jameis Winston, Bailey Zappe.
Record: 41-46 (two playoff seasons).
General manager: Andrew Berry.
New Orleans (9): Drew Brees, Taysom Hill, Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian, Ian Book, Andy Dalton, Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener.
Record: 43-43 (one playoff season).
General manager: Mickey Loomis.
Washington (8): Alex Smith, Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, Garrett Gilbert, Carson Wentz, Sam Howell, Jayden Daniels.
Record: 39-36-1 (two playoff seasons).
General managers: Ron Rivera, Martin Mayhew, Adam Peters.
Chicago (8): Mitch Trubisky, Nick Foles, Justin Fields, Andy Dalton, Trevor Siemian, Nathan Peterman, Tyson Bagent, Caleb Williams.
Record: 29-56 (one playoff season).
General manager: Ryan Pace.
Indianapolis (8): Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, Nick Foles, Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew, Joe Flacco.
Record: 41-43-1 (one playoff season).
General manager: Chris Ballard.
Denver (7): Drew Lock, Jeff Driskel, Brett Rypien, Tedy Bridgewater, Russell Wilson, Jarrett Stidham, Bo Nix.
Record: 35-50 (one playoff season).
General managers: John Elway, George Paton.
NY Jets (7): Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco, Zach Wilson, Mike White, Aaron Rodgers, Trevor Siemian, Tim Boyle.
Record: 25-59 (no playoff seasons).
General manager: Joe Douglas, TBD.
Carolina (7): Tedy Bridgewater, PJ Walker, Sam Darnold, Cam Newton, Baker Mayfield, Bryce Young, Andy Dalton.
Record: 24-60 (no playoff seasons).
General managers: Marty Hurney, Scott Fitterer, Dan Morgan.
Houston (7): Deshaun Watson, Davis Mills, Tyrod Taylor, Kyle Allen, Jeff Driskel, C.J. Stroud, Case Keenum.
Record: 43-53-1 (two playoff seasons).
General managers: Bill O’Brien, Nick Caserio.
N.Y. Giants (7): Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, Mike Glennon, Jake Fromm, Davis Webb, Tyrod Taylor.
Record: 29-56-1 (one playoff season).
General managers: Dave Gettleman, Joe Schoen.
Composite look at the 11 starting quarterbacks the Browns have employed since 2020:
Games: 87
Won-loss: 41-46.
Pass completions: 1,788.
Pass attempts: 2,947.
Percentage: 60.6.
Yards: 19,556.
Touchdowns: 110.
Interceptions: 82.
Sacks: 234.
Passer rating: 81.14.