CLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 The Browns and Steelers have taken very different approaches at quarterback since Baker Mayfield-led Cleveland beat Pittsburgh, led by Ben Roethlisberger, in a wild card game during the 2020 season.<\/p>\n
It was a surreal moment in a nearly empty stadium that started with the ball sailing over Roethlisberger\u2019s head, resulting in a Browns defensive touchdown. They ran out to a 28-0 lead before the first quarter was even over and eventually won, 48-37.<\/p>\n
The Steelers have been to the playoffs three times since then \u2014 once more with Roethlisberger \u2014 but haven\u2019t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. The Browns have returned to the playoffs once and were blown out by the Texans in the wild card round.<\/p>\n
The Browns gave up on Mayfield after the 2021 season and shipped a bunch of draft picks \u2014 including three first-rounders \u2014 to Houston in exchange for Deshaun Watson, who played his last game for the Texans a week before Mayfield and the Browns beat Pittsburgh in the playoffs. They also gave Watson the largest fully guaranteed contract in NFL history.<\/p>\n
He has played 17 games for the Browns and is currently recovering from a re-rupture of his Achilles. Browns fans are counting down the days and the dead money until the team can move on from him. The most success the Browns have had since making the trade came when Joe Flacco rode in off the couch and helped get them to the postseason.<\/p>\n
The Steelers, meanwhile, went the draft route to start their post-Roethlisberger life, selecting Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 draft. He was done there after two seasons and they brought in retread free agents Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.<\/p>\n
This year, they are rolling with Aaron Rodgers, who said on the Pat McAfee show earlier this week<\/a> he\u2019s \u201cpretty sure this is it. That\u2019s why we just did a one-year deal. … What better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL?\u201d<\/p>\n The Browns, meanwhile, are running a four-man quarterback competition between Pickett, Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. <\/p>\n Rodgers might not be the player who won four MVP awards in Green Bay, but if he\u2019s healthy, it\u2019s hard to argue the Browns are in better shape than the Steelers in 2025. Rodgers was fine last season with the Jets. He threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns. Pro Football Focus<\/a> gave him their 14th highest passing grade.<\/p>\n He\u2019s still a starting quarterback in this league and it\u2019s fair to wonder if the Browns are watching four backups compete for their starting job this season.<\/p>\n While the Browns don\u2019t appear to be in better shape this season, they could be, on paper, in better position to find their long-term answer at the position than the Steelers.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh has made it look more successful, but just like the Browns, they have been in quarterback purgatory, too, since Roethlisberger retired.<\/p>\n We know the Steelers don\u2019t have it in them to bottom out. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season. At some point all those losses in the wild card round have to lose their luster while they continue to churn through veterans on the tail end of their careers.<\/p>\n The subject even made it into the Chargers\u2019 schedule release video<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Browns bottomed out last season, even if it was by accident. Looking at their schedule and roster going into 2025, having a Top 10 pick next season isn\u2019t out of the question.<\/p>\n They also took the No. 2 pick in a weak quarterback class and turned it into an extra first-round pick in a stronger class next season. They need help from Jacksonville, but they could have two very valuable picks to address what has long been their biggest need.<\/p>\n In the meantime, they\u2019re taking two fliers, first on Gabriel, who they picked in the third round, then on Sanders, who they acquired in the fifth round after a trade up.<\/p>\n Is either a long-term fix? It\u2019s rare to find that answer on Days 2 and 3 of the draft, but there\u2019s no harm in taking two shots at it in a year when they aren\u2019t winning the Super Bowl anyway.<\/p>\n If neither works out, remember that part about the two first-round picks?<\/p>\n There\u2019s no bigger form of loser talk than talking about how many future draft picks you have. That\u2019s been the life of Browns fans since they returned in 1999 while the Steelers have won divisions, Super Bowls and played in playoff games.<\/p>\n Those future picks have to become players eventually and the Browns have failed to turn them into good players too often.<\/p>\n The Steelers, for their part, aren\u2019t in a terrible position. They currently have their own picks in the first three rounds plus Dallas\u2019 third-rounder and a projected comp pick in the third round, according to Tankathon<\/a>. They can likely maneuver their way into a quarterback if they like one next draft.<\/p>\n So, for both teams, this is all one big way of saying, \u201cWe\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n If the Browns actually have a plan at quarterback \u2014 a real plan to fix the position, which includes an acknowledgement that this year\u2019s competition is akin to buying a scratch off lottery ticket and praying it hits while waiting for the real prize to arrive next April \u2014 they could finally find themselves with a leg up on Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n