Let’s help Andrew Berry construct a new quarterback room for the Browns

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

The Browns are always searching for a quarterback. What makes it different this time is they’re searching for more than one. They need two, even three, quarterbacks to completely rebuild their depth chart at the game’s most important position.

It’s a tall task for Andrew Berry, whose record with the position in five years as Browns general manager is, ahem, not good.

So we’re going to help him out in an exercise we’ll call “Build A Quarterback Room.”

The ground rules are simple. Take one quarterback from each of three pools of available quarterbacks.

Pool A: These are veteran quarterbacks whose contracts are up or are expected to be released when the NFL free agency season kicks off in March. Consider your selection a temporary or “bridge” starter. You would consider this player the starting quarterback through OTAs, minicamps and training camp, and into the 2025 regular season. How long he keeps the job depends on performance and team record, and the time it takes to adequately prepare your selection from Pool B. This quarterback would double as a mentor or model for the Pool B QB. The best scenario is for your Pool A QB to win enough games to keep your Pool B QB on the bench as long as possible.

Pool B: These are the quarterbacks available in the draft. This is the most important selection of all, even though this player may begin the season on the bench. You can select one of these players with the Browns’ first draft pick, No. 2 overall, or with their second, No. 33, or even further down the list, depending on how long you envision your choice from Pool A to keep the job. Remember this, though: Your QB from Pool B must have the potential to be the team’s undisputed starting quarterback no later than 2027. In that year, Deshaun Watson’s final charge on the Browns’ salary cap is expected to be around $89.5 million. By then, your Pool B selection will be in the third year of his rookie contract and should have established himself as a winning, NFL starting QB.

Pool C: These are available players to serve as your third quarterback. If all goes well, this QB won’t play. We know, however, the Browns have had to play their third quarterback in three of Kevin Stefanski’s five seasons as head coach. This QB may bring differing qualities to your room – for example, experience and wisdom, or youth and potential, or he may possess a special athleticism that might come into play.

Now we list the quarterbacks alphabetically in each pool.

Pool A

Jacoby Brissett

Kirk Cousins

Andy Dalton

Sam Darnold

Justin Fields

Joe Flacco

Jimmy Garoppolo

Taylor Heinicke

Daniel Jones

Mac Jones

Drew Lock

Marcus Mariota

Aaron Rodgers

Mason Rudolph

Cooper Rush

Jarrett Stidham

Kyle Trask

Russell Wilson

Jameis Winston

Pool B

Jaxson Dart, Mississippi

Quinn Ewers, Texas

Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Will Howard, Ohio State

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

Kyle McCord, Syracuse

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Tyler Shough, Louisville

Cam Ward, Miami

Pool C

Brandon Allen

C.J. Beathard

Ian Book

Tim Boyle

Teddy Bridgewater

Tommy DeVito

Josh Dobbs

Jeff Driskel

Sam Ehlinger

Will Grier

Sam Hartman

Tyler Huntley

Trey Lance

Nick Mullens

Brett Rypien

Dorian Thompson-Robinson

Zach Wilson

Now I will construct three different Browns quarterback rooms.

Room 1

Jimmy Garoppolo

Jaxson Dart

Josh Dobbs

Analysis: Injuries are Garoppolo’s failing. At 33, he’s coming off a year of healing under the auspices of Rams coach Sean McVay. His career W-L record (38-17), TD-to-INT ratio (82-42) and passer rating (97.6) are undeniable strengths. Dart would be the pick at No. 33, enabling the Browns to consider trading down a bit or use No. 2 overall on Travis Hunter. Dobbs has never gotten an extended run as a starter, but has positive attributes.

Room 2

Daniel Jones

Jalen Milroe

Ian Book

Analysis: After the Giants released him, Jones chose to join the Vikings’ practice squad because of his belief in coach Kevin O’Connell’s tutelage. The Vikings signed Jones to the active roster for their final two games and are considering bringing him back. Jones, 27, has a good arm and mobility and should benefit from a change of scenery. Milroe is a raw project, but his athleticism will likely cause him to be drafted higher. He would be taken with the No. 33 pick. Milroe’s history with new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees makes this a serious consideration. Rees was Notre Dame QB coach and offensive coordinator when Book won 30 of 35 starts for the Fighting Irish.

Room 3

Joe Flacco

Shedeur Sanders

Zach Wilson

Analysis: Flacco, 40, is eager to play an 18^th NFL season after going 2-4 in a reserve role with the Colts. Flacco would be amenable to returning to the Browns. The only major injury in his career was an ACL tear in 2015. His elite arm strength has never wavered. Assuming the Titans take Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick, Sanders is the consensus No. 2. He fits Stefanski’s system as a pocket passer capable of running the play-action game. The Browns would have to get Deion Sanders’ blessing to take his son, or else would risk counter-productive distractions ahead. Four years removed from the No. 2 overall pick of the Jets, Wilson, 25, has effectively decompressed from his abysmal years in New York. Although he didn’t take a snap last season, his time under Sean Payton in Denver may have steered him to a better career path.

These are just three possible quarterback rooms for the Browns to consider. At his season-ending press conference, Berry affirmed the team could go in any direction.

“I think there’s opportunity every offseason,” Berry said. “I wouldn’t necessarily constrain us to any one way of attacking, whether it’s the quarterback position or any position across the roster. We’ve always prided ourselves on being opportunistic. And there are probably also opportunities that we don’t see today that will pop up over the next several months. So, we’ll be flexible in that regard.”