The NFL season kicks off Thursday night with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles facing each other. The Cleveland Browns have to wait until Sunday for their Week 1 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals
, but the home team continues to have a huge question at quarterback. Of course, Joe Flacco will start this season, but the Browns need to figure out whether Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders or someone in the 2026 NFL draft will finally be the answer to having a true “Franchise QB.”Cleveland was
the first team in the modern era to select two quarterbacks and two running backs in the first five rounds of the NFL draft, but can either Gabriel or Sanders prove enough for the team not to spend one (or both, in a trade) of their first-round picks next year on a quarterback?
Thursday’s kickoff game includes two quarterbacks who were not selected in the first round: Jalen Hurts (2nd round) and Dak Prescott (4th round). Interestingly, only four other quarterbacks that are slated to start in Week 1 were also drafted outside of the 1st round:
- Brock Purdy
- Russell Wilson
- Geno Smith
- Spencer Rattler
As Ed Werder notes, that means 26 of the 32 starting quarterbacks will be first-rounders, with a chance that Jaxson Dart could take over for Wilson at some point this season.
Based on this year’s starters, Gabriel or Sanders becoming Week 1 starters in the NFL would be the exception to the rule. A steep hill to climb for two players who have to wait for a chance to start this season if Flacco fails or gets injured. Based on recent data and this season’s starters, the Browns future starting quarterback is probably a first-round pick in 2026 or (at the latest) 2027.
Are you surprised by how many starters in Week 1 came from the 1st round of the draft?
