Cleveland Browns general manager cites 4 former Alabama quarterbacks in pre-draft press conference

The Tennessee Titans are expected to select Miami (Fla.) quarterback Cam Ward with the first pick in the 90th NFL Draft on Thursday night. If that happens, the Cleveland Browns could have first choice of the non-quarterback prospects.

But the Browns are unsettled at quarterback as Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry weighs his options at No. 2, so that triggered plenty of quarterback questions at his pre-draft press conference on Thursday. During his answers, Berry cited four former Alabama quarterbacks – the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young and current draft prospect Jalen Milroe.

“Obviously, quarterback’s the most important position,” Berry said. “I think the biggest thing that we’re thinking about going into this draft is really just adding good players and good prospects. Not overthinking it that way. Can’t necessarily dictate the draft, although certainly you have more influence when you’re picking as high as we are this year. But we’re really just looking to add good players. …

“I think the biggest thing for us is we want to have long-term players across the roster. We’re not going to necessarily force something if we don’t think the value’s right or anything along those lines. But we want to be thoughtful and disciplined in our decision-making.”

Berry said the league is full of top-flight quarterbacks who did not start Game 1 of their NFL careers that way.

“We firmly believe that it’s not about picking a player who’s ready to contribute now,” Berry said. “It’s about trying to find the player that you think is going to be the best if you have access to that player. And look, I think you can think about Patrick Mahomes had his whole first year. Josh Allen, it really took to Year 3 for him to become Josh Allen. Lamar (Jackson) probably hit the ground running pretty quickly. Jalen Hurts, there were doubts about him until he probably hit Year 3. So quarterbacks mature and grow at their own pace, and our thought isn’t in terms of immediacy, but making the best long-term bet.”

After Ward, draftniks generally have Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders as the No. 2 quarterback, and it’s easy to find mock drafts with Sanders as the Browns’ pick at No. 2. But quarterback projections, particularly in the short term, don’t always hold true, with Berry citing Young and C.J. Stroud, the first and second selections of the 2023 draft as an example.

The Panthers picked Young at No. 1 and went 2-15 in his rookie season. The Houston Texans took Stroud at No. 2, made a seven-game improvement from 2022, captured their division title and won a playoff game in 2023.

“The reality of it is, like, every situation is different,” Berry said. “Every player acclimates differently. Like, I think back to, what was it? I want to say ’23. And you look at Bryce and CJ. Bryce had played a lot of football and played in the SEC at Alabama. It took him a little bit of time to get his sea legs in Carolina. Whereas like with CJ, there were probably more questions about him going in the process, and he hit the ground running. So I just think there are plenty of those examples where you really just don’t know how they’ll transition and why it’s important to have patience at the position.”

The Browns also hold the first pick of the second round and, with 10 picks, have the draft capital to trade into position to get a targeted player – perhaps Sanders later in the first round or one of the other QB prospects – Milroe, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart or Louisville’s Tyler Shough.

Berry said the NFL success of those quarterbacks could depend on which team picks them.

“I think that a lot of the quarterback position is the environment that you put the individual in,” Berry said. “Whether that’s with teammates, schematically, what you ask them to do and, honestly, what you ask them to do early in their career. And I think you’re starting to see it more and more across the league that quarterbacks can produce in a number of different ways. The way that Josh Allen produces is a lot different than the way that Brock Purdy produces. The system that Tua runs is a lot different than the system that Lamar Jackson runs. And I think it’s of great importance for any organization bringing in a quarterback to understand what that individual does well and how you both build an offense and design a scheme to accentuate that individual strength, because I think as long as they have a level of baseline talent, you can have a productive player at the position as long as you’re thoughtful in terms of building the environment around them.”

Milroe is on Cleveland’s draft radar.

“He’s got rare physical talent,” Berry said. “When he gets in the NFL, he may be the only quarterback who’s faster than Lamar. Don’t tell Lamar I said that, please. He’s got rare physical gifts. He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s got a really strong arm, and any system that you build around him, you want to take advantage of the fact that he has things that no other players at the position have.”

Cleveland has extra insight on Milroe because the Browns’ offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, served in that spot for Alabama’s 2023 SEC championship team.

“It helps a lot,” Berry said. “To have your OC having been at Alabama with him for a full year, calling plays for him, knowing his strengths and weaknesses, it helps a lot.”

The Browns are in a quarterback quandary because of another injury to Deshaun Watson. Watson went down in the seventh game of the 2024 season with an Achilles tendon injury and his availability for the 2025 season is up in the air.

“I can say that Deshaun’s done a great job of rehabbing,” Berry said. “He’s been in every day. He’s progressing, and that’s really our focus. But it’s just too early to say.”

Cleveland started four quarterbacks last season, and Watson is the only one who remains on the roster.

The Browns traded with the Eagles to obtain Kenny Pickett, a two-year starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers before spending the 2024 season as Hurts’ backup. Cleveland also signed Joe Flacco for an 18th NFL season after he started six games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024 and a year removed from rallying the Browns to the postseason after Watson went out with an injury.

“It’s about breeding competition,” Berry said, “and whatever that room looks like as we go into the spring and then, probably most importantly, training camp, all those individuals will have a chance to compete to be the starter.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.