The extraordinarily rare four-man quarterback competition unfolding in Cleveland is ongoing, but adjustments are being made. Kenny Pickett is out with a hamstring injury, giving Joe Flacco a wider runway to reacquire the job.
While Pickett recovers, Kevin Stefanski said (via ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi) Flacco will take the bulk of the first-team reps. Flacco did not take as many offseason reps, but because of his 2023 Browns showing, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer indicates he received what amounted to a first-round bye in this battle ahead of training camp.
Flacco proved he remained a capable starter during a serviceable but unremarkable Colts stint, but his elevating a battered Browns offense to a playoff berth in 2023 carries considerable weight. The Browns are obviously evaluating how a 40-year-old Flacco differs from his 38-year-old version, but with Pickett down, the 18th-year veteran has a chance to impress and start a season opener for the first time since filling in for Zach Wilson in 2022. This would be Flacco’s 14th time earning a Week 1 NFL start.
As Flacco enjoys a strong opportunity to grab the reins, Shedeur Sanders does not look to have a chance at the Week 1 gig. Sanders entered the Browns’ offseason program “far behind” Flacco, Pickett and third-rounder Dillon Gabriel, Breer adds, and is trying to catch up. Sanders received extensive criticism for his strange approach to the pre-draft process, but beyond proving difficult in interviews with teams (as a recruiting-type mentality is believed to have taken place on the QB’s part), Sanders drew attention for being behind from a football knowhow perspective, according to Breer.
The two-year Colorado starter being as far behind as he was during pre-draft meetings surprised some, Breer adds, and he fell into fourth place during the Browns’ offseason workouts due in part to lagging on the football IQ front. To open camp, the first-team reps primarily went to Flacco and Pickett, with Gabriel taking the leftover work. Operating as an inverse option to Sanders thus far, Gabriel has impressed with his football IQ while presenting a less-than-ideal frame (at 5-foot-10) and skillset.
The Browns plan to stop sending out two offensive units simultaneously, a tactic deployed due to the unique four-man QB battle, according to Stefanski. This transition will lead to fewer reps, further increasing Sanders’ degree of difficulty as a developmental option. As it stands, Sanders faces a “Super Bowl LI”-like uphill climb to win the job, Breer concludes, adding he has gained ground since workouts started.
Although Sanders was a much-rumored first-round candidate, falling to fifth for myriad reasons made it unrealistic he would win the Browns’ Week 1 job. Fifth-round rookies are almost never in QB competitions in the first place, making this training camp more of a developmental stage for the second-generation pro.
At the preseason’s conclusion, the Browns will need to decide if they want to carry four quarterbacks — a genuine possibility — on their 53-man roster. Gabriel looks close to a roster lock here, with Sanders the wild card. Pickett’s injury would open a door for the Browns regarding an IR move, as a way to retain both rookies, but it would seem unlikely the team would proceed that way with a player firmly in the mix for the Week 1 job. (The team is not planning to trade one of its rookie arms.) Sanders would need to pass through waivers to reach Cleveland’s practice squad, further complicating the situation.
Jimmy Haslam also fielded a question about Arch Manning this week. While the owner cannot realistically comment on the Browns’ path to the soon-to-be Texas starter, he did voice a belief (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) the QB will stay in school for the 2026 season (kicking the can to the 2027 draft). Haslam mentioned his relationship with the Manning family in offering that prediction.
Even if Manning is unlikely to declare for the 2026 draft, next year is projected to include a much deeper class compared to 2025. The Browns having two first-round picks seemingly came in preparation for that. For now, Gabriel and Sanders continue to make their cases about future duty while the Flacco-Pickett veteran matchup represents the far more likely decider for Week 1 this season.
