Joe Flacco: Cleveland Browns Training Camp Jason Miller/GettyImages

Browns end starting competition by naming Joe Flacco Week 1 starter

Originally posted on Dawg Pound Daily | By Tony Camino | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 1:35 PM ET

The Browns went into camp with one of the more intriguing quarterback battles of recent history: a four-man race between former first-rounder Kenny Pickett, 40-year-old Joe Flacco, third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, and, of course, fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders.

While the job was supposedly open for anyone to win, Flacco and Pickett always seemed like the main battle, while the rookies fought to be the main backup. Along with a strong camp performance back in Cleveland for Flacco, Pickett's hamstring injury all but took him out of contention.

Ahead of their dress rehearsal preseason finale at home against the Rams, the Browns have officially named Flacco as the team's Week 1 starter against the Bengals.

Joe Flacco officially named Browns Week 1 starter

While this isn't the exciting move, it's the expected and correct call. The Browns have made it well-known that they are abandoning the offense of the last two years, and moving back to centered around the wide-zone concepts that Kevin Stefanski is known for. Getting the rest of the offense up to speed in the offensive change with a rookie quarterback, nonetheless a third or fifth-round pick, is not a good spot to put the team or a young signal caller.

Joe Cool leading the way

We've named Joe Flacco our starting quarterback.
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 18, 2025

On top of the offensive changes, the schedule doesn't look great on paper to start the year. Five of their first six matchups come against playoff teams from a year ago, and that doesn't include their Week 1 meeting against the Bengals. It's not a favorable situation to put a rookie in, and it wouldn't be fair to the rookies or the team to try and thrust them into the spotlight from the jump.

Flacco brings a familiar face to the offense, as we all remember, and he did operate a version of Stefanski's offense that ended with Cleveland in the postseason. The downside to starting the veteran is his style of play. With the defense expected to be the strength of this squad, they are going to need the offense to limit turnovers and allow the defense to do most of the heavy lifting. That doesn't really describe Flacco, since he's more of a true gunslinger who operates with more high-risk, high-reward throws.

Cleveland can now head into this week of practice like it's a true game, with minor game-planning and practice schedules that shadow what will happen during the season. Saturday will be a great chance for the entire first-team offense to get their feet wet together before the season is officially underway two weeks later on September 7th.

This article first appeared on Dawg Pound Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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