News: Browns QB competition gets its first QB1 following Kenny Pickett’s injury

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

And then there were three*.

When it comes to the Cleveland Browns quarterback competition, very few know really what the team’s overall goal is but having four QBs compete for the starting job is beyond rare at the NFL level. Saturday’s practice took Kenny Pickett out of the equation, *at least for a little while, just as Shedeur Sanders

was having his best (of four) practice.

With Pickett sidelined, many are hoping that Dillon Gabriel and Sanders, the two rookies, will get a bigger chance to prove

what they have. While that might happen, Joe Flacco will get the majority of the first team reps in Week 2 of Browns training camp, according to HC Kevin Stefanski:

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski confirms that Joe Flacco will get most of the 1st team reps with Kenny Pickett out. But how they distribute them will depend on the drill they're in and what they're trying to accomplish.

— (@Spencito_) July 28, 2025

Stefanski also noted that the team would not be spotting two balls starting this week, unlike Week 1 of camp, but that change was unrelated to Pickett’s injury.

While few will be surprised at Stefanski’s decision, it is interesting that Flacco will get “the majority” of the first team reps instead of a more even split. Clearly, the veteran has a leg up (or two) on the rookies early in training camp but will Gabriel or Sanders get a chance to prove they belong in the competition without first team reps?

Cleveland’s first preseason game is a little over a week and a half away, any changes to the quarterback depth chart will have to wait until after that game, at the earliest. For now, the Browns are back to being “Wacko for Flacco” and are infected with “Flacco Fever” once again.

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