Myles Garrett Made Specific Demands of Browns Involving QB Situation
The Cleveland Browns will begin the season with 40-year-0ld quarterback Joe Flacco under center, and not only because the other two options are rookies without a single snap of regular-season NFL experience.
Superstar defensive end Myles Garrett didn’t advocate for Flacco specifically, or at least no one has reported that he did. However, he was clear with management and the coaching staff this offseason as he was negotiating a contract extension in the midst of a trade demand that he was sick of rebuilding
“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,” Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN wrote on Wednesday, September 3.
Garrett ended up signing a four-year extension worth $160 million that keeps him under contract in Cleveland through 2030. What kind of assurances he got from the franchise as to the quarterback position are unclear, though the Browns traded for Kenny Pickett three days after locking Garrett into his new deal and added Flacco in free agency approximately one month later.
A little more than two weeks after that, the franchise drafted Dillon Gabriel near the end of the third round and Shedeur Sanders at the beginning of the fifth.
Joe Flacco Won QB1 Spot by Default After Kenny Pickett Got Injured, Traded
GettyCleveland Browns starting quarterback Joe Flacco.
Flacco won the starting job almost by default after Pickett strained his hamstring early in training camp.
Flacco took over most of the first-team reps and Cleveland ultimately traded Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders, recouping the fifth-round pick they sent to the Philadelphia Eagles alongside QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson to acquire him in March.
The rest of the roster shook out with Gabriel winning the QB2 job and Sanders slotting in as the third-string signal-caller after the team parted ways with Pickett. The Browns also signed Bailey Zappe as their QB4.
Dillon Gabriel Threat to Take Joe Flacco’s Job as Starter if Browns Struggle Early
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Flacco has the job now but may not for long if he struggles out of the gate.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote on August 31 that the team’s decision-makers are happy with Gabriel and won’t fear to elevate him into the starting role, even amid the team’s brutal six-game stretch to open the campaign.
“If it’s going well and the Browns are scoring points, Flacco will continue on. But if he’s turning the ball over or taking sacks, the Browns will hand the reins to Gabriel without hesitation,” Cabot wrote. “They loved what they saw of Gabriel in camp and preseason games, and won’t hesitate to start him even if it’s early in the season.”
Cabot also noted that Sanders is likely to get a chance to play serious snaps in 2025, though she said that wouldn’t happen until later in the year and also did not specify whether his work would include a starting role at any point.
Red Sox rumors: Insider says Boston, Alex Bregman remain perfect fit
After years of underachievement, the Boston Red Sox are finally back in the playoff hunt. Currently possessing the second AL Wild Card spot, if the season ended today, the Red Sox would play their hated rivals from the Bronx, the New York Yankees. Although Boston has lost their last two games, a three-game winning streak preceded it. Third baseman Alex Bregman’s first season with the Sox has been a strong one thus far. The former Houston Astro could opt out of his current contract this winter. MLB Network spoke with insider Jon Heyman on Bregman’s best potential fit in free agency, and shared Heyman’s take on X, formerly Twitter.
“What could Alex Bregman’s potential free agency look like?” posted the league network on Saturday. “‘I think he fits Boston perfectly… it does feel like Boston is the best fit.’- @JonHeyman.”
It’s easy to see why Heyman said the Red Sox would be Bregman’s best fit. The 31-year-old is nearing the tail end of his physical prime. However, his skillset is one that should age well, particularly at Fenway Park. After the trade of former franchise star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in June, Bregman has once again become a clubhouse leader, like he was in Houston. Can Scott Boras, the third baseman’s agent, work out a deal with the Boston front office to avoid an opt out this winter? Or will Bregman once again explore free agency?
Can Red Sox hammer out new deal with Alex Bregman, Scott Boras?
Boras is notorious for letting his clients explore free agency rather than sign an extension. The majority of the time, that is the tactic that baseball’s super-agent likes to take. Even though Bregman will turn 32 in March, there are still plenty of teams that would pursue him on the open market. The Yankees would certainly be one, as the trade acquisition of Ryan McMahon before the deadline hasn’t worked out as well as New York would have liked.
Whether it’s the Red Sox, Yankees or another team, the likelihood of Bregman not going to a contender is slim. Based on his age, it feels like a resigning, especially if both sides can strike an agreement before the opt out. For now though, the focus is on Bregman helping lead Boston back to the postseason. Will the Red Sox finish the deal and clinch October baseball in the coming weeks? If so, don’t be surprised to see the third baseman remain at Fenway Park past this season.
