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The Cleveland Browns head into the 2025 season with one of the most unpredictable rosters in the NFL. Sure, there’s no shortage of talent on either side of the ball. However, a chaotic offseason has only fueled doubts about the team’s direction. From quarterback controversies to a defense trying to hold it all together, Cleveland’s minicamp spotlight has revealed more questions than answers. For a couple of veterans, the answers may be bad news. With an influx of young talent and the front office eager to reshape the future, two familiar faces may find themselves on the outside looking in when final roster cuts arrive.
A Volatile Offseason
The Browns have had quite the offseason, particularly after a drama-filled 2025 NFL Draft. All eyes are now on the quarterback position, where five players are jockeying for position. That includes high-upside rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Getting Sanders in the fifth round may go down as one of the steals of the draft. He brings tantalizing long-term potential and a flair for playmaking that could redefine the Browns’ identity under center.
If Sanders, or even Gabriel, wins the job at some point, they’ll benefit from a better offensive setup than what Cleveland fielded in 2024. Running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson could form a dynamic one-two punch to replace the oft-injured Nick Chubb. Meanwhile, Harold Fannin Jr gives Cleveland another pass-catching threat at tight end alongside David Njoku. That should help to lighten the load for new top receiver Jerry Jeudy.
On defense, the Browns scored a win by retaining All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett. They also hit big in the draft, adding potential Day 1 contributors in defensive tackle Mason Graham and linebacker Carson Schwesinger. On paper, the defense remains a top-10 unit.
That said, dysfunction still lingers. Even a relatively favorable schedule couldn’t lift the Browns out of the cellar. With pressure mounting and the future clearly in mind, roster trimming is inevitable — and a couple of well-known names could be headed for the chopping block.
1. The Veteran Quarterback Facing a Youth Movement
The return of Joe Flacco for the 2025 season was billed as a stabilizing move. After all, the 40-year-old veteran stepped in during the 2023 season and brought surprising calm to a rocky quarterback situation. However, this year’s circumstances are starkly different and not in Flacco’s favor.
Deshaun Watson is out for the year following back-to-back Achilles injuries. In response, the Browns acquired Kenny Pickett via trade and drafted both Gabriel and Sanders. That makes five quarterbacks currently on the roster. With NFL teams rarely carrying more than three into the regular season, Flacco is now staring down a numbers game he may not win.
His main value lies in his experience and locker room leadership. That said, those traits only go so far when a team is in rebuilding mode. Gabriel and Sanders represent the future, while Pickett is a 26-year-old former first-round pick who still has development runway. Flacco, meanwhile, offers no long-term upside. His limited mobility behind a still-shaky offensive line could prove costly.
Of course, there’s precedent here. In 2023, Cleveland carried four QBs through the offseason before flipping Josh Dobbs to Arizona. A similar scenario could play out, especially if another team loses a quarterback in camp. If that happens, Flacco’s value as a short-term plug-in could net Cleveland a late-round pick. On the flip side, if no market emerges, he may be the odd man out.
2. A Former First-Rounder Running Out of Time
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Greg Newsome II’s 2024 season was a rough one. A career-low 54.0 PFF coverage grade, only three pass breakups, and a troubling 24.3 percent missed tackle rate painted a stark contrast to the player who once looked like a foundational piece of Cleveland’s secondary. Still, what makes Newsome’s situation more complicated is not just performance but rather, context.
Newsome is entering the final year of his rookie contract, as is fellow cornerback Martin Emerson. In the salary cap crunch Cleveland currently faces, it’s unlikely both will return in 2026. In fact, if Newsome has a bounce-back year, that may only price him out of town sooner.
It begs the question: Should Cleveland consider moving on early?
From a business standpoint, it makes sense. The Browns are rebuilding around younger, cheaper talent. Drafting additional cornerback depth this spring only further complicates Newsome’s standing. Sure, his talent is undeniable. However, the fit and finances are no longer ideal. A trade could bring back needed draft capital or cap flexibility. It could also open reps for ascending players like Cameron Mitchell.
More importantly, the optics matter. Cleveland’s front office needs to signal a true reset. That may mean cutting ties with any player who doesn’t fit their future window, regardless of past production.
Tough Calls Lie Ahead
NFL minicamps always bring clarity and pressure. In Cleveland, that pressure is amplified by the franchise’s bottom-feeder status and ongoing quarterback drama. For veterans like Joe Flacco and Greg Newsome II, the writing may already be on the wall. Whether it’s because of age, salary, or simply the tide of youth movement sweeping across the roster, their spots are far from guaranteed.
If the Browns want to build something sustainable, they can’t cling to the past. These tough cuts — or trades — may hurt in the short term, but they’re exactly the kind of moves that show a front office is serious about changing the trajectory of a floundering franchise.
Cleveland may not be ready to contend, but it has to be ready to evolve. And that starts now.
