The overreaction to the Browns quarterback competition has reached obsessive heights. Or it could be looked at as a new low, your choice. A local Cleveland radio station, 850am (@ESPNCleveland), has started a “quarterback tacker” to chart how each QB does in OTA’s. It so popular, it’s had 7K views in the five times it’s been posted on social media. It’s garnered so much attention that it’s been talked about nationally. While it’s great for the station and their advertising budget, it has to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s only June and these are only OTA’s. No quarterback has any advantage or disadvantage at this point in the process. When questioned by the local media, head coach Kevin Stefanski explains the team is just following the plan. Keyboard warriors would disagree and put forth numerous conspiracy theories. The rookies are playing more because the team is shopping one of them. The team is holding rookie Shedeur Sanders back on purpose. Joe Flacco isn’t throwing as much because the Browns know he won’t be the starter. Blah, blah blah.

The tracker is based on a flawed premise, that all the conditions are the same for all four players. Each player is throwing in 11 on 11’s, 7 on 7’s and against air with no defense. So you’re saying a completed pass against no defense is worth more than an incomplete pass against the number one defense with CB Denzel Ward. The situations are not the same. At this point in the season, it’s an installation not a competition. Both the rookies and to some extent Kenny Pickett are learning a new offense. Players have told the media there is a faster pace to the workouts this year. A faster pace means more reps for the rookies. On Wednesday, Flacco was asked about the plan. “I don’t know what the plan is exactly. But you know, I trust Kevin and that he has a plan for all this, and, you know, that’s really all I can do. You know, listen, I’d love to go out there and take 120 reps a day and get in the groove and do all those things, but like I said, the coaches have a plan, Kevin has a plan, and my job is to just trust that, go out there and do the best I can.” Flacco knows this offense and more importantly knows Stefanski. It’s more important to get the rookies as much simulated game experience as possible.

Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett have been taking the most first team reps. Shedeur Sanders hasn’t taken a rep against the first team defense. The easy explanation is the team traded for Pickett; Gabriel was drafted in the third round and Sanders was drafted in the fifth round. Maybe Sanders isn’t ready yet. Maybe the coaches want to allow him to learn. Again, this is an installation. Flacco doesn’t need to take way reps from the other quarterbacks. If he is the starter he’ll need a fresher arm for training camp. Both quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Travor Lawrence have already been shut down with sore shoulders. The true test will be when training camp starts. When the OTA’s end next week, each quarterback will be sent home with a playbook and instructions on how to improve their game. The first week of training camp in full pads and at full speed will be a great indication of who has the advantage.