CINCINNATI — Will the Browns start a rookie quarterback against the Bengals in Week 1?
Cincinnati heads to Cleveland on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. ET in the 2025 season opener. The Browns took two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com believes they’re going to start Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel at quarterback.
“Talent wise I think both those guys have a huge advantage over Kenny Pickett,” Jeremiah said on the Rich Eisen Show. “I think Joe Flacco is just in case you don’t think you can be competent at the position. Then you insert Joe. I think their Week 1 starter. I think it’s going to be one of those two rookies.”
The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round (94th overall) and Sanders in the fifth round (144th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. They also signed Flacco and traded for Pickett this offseason.
“I think you’ve got to learn this year,” Jeremiah said. “Next year at this time they have to know what they have in those two rookies. They have to see them … You have to evaluate these two kids that you just drafted so before this next draft you have some clarity of what you have on campus.”
The Bengals are hoping to start the season fast after falling to 0-2 in each of the past three seasons.
Check out the full clip below:
“I think their week 1 starter is going to be one of those two rookies,” – @MoveTheSticks on the Browns QB battle 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/DQkGPobvux
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 20, 2025
For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon.
Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
—–
Join the 55,000+ Bengals fans that subscribe to us on YouTube.
Follow us on Twitter: @BengalsTalkSI
Subscribe and follow the ONLY Daily Bengals Podcast