As the gambling scandal that hit quarterback Brendan Sorsby has unfolded, the Cleveland Browns have found themselves repeatedly linked to adding him to their quarterback room as a low-risk developmental piece who could potentially solve the team’s persistent QB1 issue. Sorsby, a dual threat star who is transferring from Cincinnati to Texas Tech, could potentially land in the NFL this summer if the NCAA bans him from playing again after reports that he bet on his own team when he was at Indiana.
If Sorsby can’t go back to school, he could enter the NFL as a supplemental draftee, a rarely used process that has not been in place since 2019. The Browns could put in a bid for Sorsby–a 2027 draft pick–and if their pick is the highest offered, he would land in Cleveland. Sorsby is considered a potential first-round talent, but considering his circumstances, it’s possible he could be acquired with a second–or maybe even a third–round pick.
It’s been a hot Browns topic all offseason, probably ranking behind the quarterback battle and potential Myles Garrett trades.
Todd Monken Not Big on Adding Brendan Sorsby
But it has not, apparently, been a hot topic at the Browns offices in Berea. Head coach Todd Monken was asked about Sorsby on Monday and said there had been no internal discussion about him–at least, not yet. He remains focused on trying to determine a winner between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, and is wary of adding yet another name to the mix.
Said Monken: “Not at all. That has not even come across my desk. I don’t think we’re in a position to want to go down that road. That’s my opinion, that’s not Andrew’s. I like the quarterbacks we have.”
Sorsby threw for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions last year, leading the Big 12 in yard per completion (13.5) and rating (155.1). A dual threat, he rushed 100 times for 580 yards and nine touchdowns.
Browns Concerned About Gambling History
But Monken indicated that Sorsby’s gambling problem would be an issue for NFL teams. He spent 35 days in a rehab center in Arizona to help deal with his addiction, and the hope is that he can put that behind him. The Browns coach is skeptical, though, of employing a star quarterback with Sorsby’s history.
Said Monken: “I think that’s a slippery slope when you go down that, irrespective of talent. Right? In terms of the situation he put himself in. We all know what that is—I didn’t, he put himself in that situation. We’ve seen in other sports with players that have been banned for life from playing professional sports,
“I think that’s a slippery slope to go down that road. Again, that’s a question for Andrew and for management. But from my end of it, kind of a tough angle to go down that road and think that is going to be your franchise quarterback, if he is ever eligible to even play in the NFL.”
Browns’ Todd Monken Takes Definitive Stance on Adding Banned Quarterback