When the Cleveland Browns got Myles Garrett to rescind his trade request and sign a four-year $160 million contract, they made promises to make him stick around.
According to ESPN's Browns insider Daniel Oyefusi, Cleveland's brass promised their No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft that they would get a veteran quarterback under center for the 2025 season.
While Joe Flacco was probably not the top option in Garrett's mind, it most likely means that as long as Cleveland stays in playoff contention throughout the year, Flacco will be the starting quarterback and the Browns' rookies won't get a chance to play.
Myles Garrett's Demand Provides Poor Outlook for Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders
Oyefusi is reporting that Garrett wants to be on a competitive team as the second half of his career begins, and that can't be achieved if the team is starting a rookie quarterback, whom the Browns happen to have two of behind Flacco.
"A source with knowledge of Garret’s thinking said the defensive end preferred a veteran quarterback who could contribute — with the understanding Cleveland wasn’t in a position to spend lucratively and would likely also be bringing in a rookie quarterback."
While Flacco is the lone veteran on the Browns roster after the team traded away Kenny Pickett, that doesn't guarantee he will start all 17 games for Cleveland in 2025.
To Garrett's possible displeasure, if the Browns start to struggle or the 40-year-old veterans' play isn't productive enough, they will surely turn to former Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel to provide a spark for the team, as Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported.
Even Shedeur Sanders, the Browns' fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is expected to get a chance to start later in the season.
For now, Cleveland will stick to their word to Garrett, and Flacco will remain the starter until things go south. If the standard of play isn't high enough, the Browns' All-Pro pass rusher will have to acquiesce and allow Cleveland to see what they have in their former Heisman finalist and flashy third-stringer.