The Cleveland Browns have entered 2025 with one of the most intriguing quarterback competitions in recent memory.
With five signal-callers on the roster, veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, plus injured Deshaun Watson, the team is strategically evaluating experience versus potential.
And according to several insiders, one name has taken an early lead in practice.
Pickett takes the first-team reps
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that Kenny Pickett has received the majority of firstteam reps during OTAs and minicamp.
“It seems like it’s his job to try to keep for now,” she wrote, indicating Pickett has emerged as the frontrunner to open as the Browns’ Week 1 starter.
That sentiment is echoed by Sports Illustrated, which notes that Pickett is “heading in as the frontrunner to win the starting job at the outset.”
This preference makes sense. At 26, Pickett brings both youth and NFL exposure. He previously started for the Steelers before backing up in Philadelphia, where he also earned a Super Bowl ring following Super Bowl LIX despite limited playing time.
Armed with experience, familiarity with AFC North defenses, and an opportunity to lead a team, Pickett is clearly on the radar as the default opening-day QB.
Veterans vs. Rookies: Experience or upside?
While Pickett seems to be leading the pack early, Cleveland’s QB room contains no shortage of alternatives.
Joe Flacco, the 40yearold veteran and former Super Bowl XLVII MVP, isn’t far behind. With 18 seasons under his belt and a reputation for stability, Flacco has strong Week 1 odds (+160, tied with Pickett).
Flacco’s approach to the QB room has been understated: rather than formally mentoring his younger counterparts, he prefers to lead by example. “I don’t believe that’s the job of a backup quarterback… The best way to be a mentor… is to show people how you go to work,” he told reporters.
And Browns staff have taken note: coach Byron Rees remarked that “you can learn so much by just observing him,” and that Flacco’s presence “has been so great for those young guys.”
The rookies in the mix, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, have garnered plenty of attention too. Sanders, a fifthround pick from Colorado and son of Deion Sanders, received praise for his accuracy and playaction pocket presence during college.
Draft expert Colin Cowherd even asserted: “By a landslide, Shedeur Sanders should be starting,” though he also acknowledged Flacco is likelier to begin Week 1.
Gabriel, a thirdround selection, brings mobility and playmaking skills from his time at Oregon. Still, he split his reps with other rookies and hasn’t yet unseated the veterans as camp progresses.
What’s next for Cleveland’s quarterback carousel?
Looking ahead, the Browns’ opening schedule might heavily influence their QB decision. With divisional clashes and an early string of road games looming, the team may favor seasoned veterans, either Flacco or Pickett, to navigate the rough start.
However, if early performance falters, the door could open for Gabriel or Sanders to prove their mettle and force a change.
With so many quarterbacks vying for the spotlight, Cleveland enters preseason camp brimming with storylines.
Will experience triumph over youth? Or will raw potential flash enough promise to alter the race before September? One thing’s for sure: when the winner is finally revealed, their emergence will shape the Browns’ season.
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