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Browns’ Kenny Pickett injury update doesn’t provide many answers

Originally posted on NFL on ClutchPoints
By Evan Dammarell | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 11:12 AM ET

The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback competition has taken a significant turn just days into training camp. Kenny Pickett, who had been sharing first-team reps with veteran Joe Flacco, is now sidelined with a hamstring injury. While Pickett’s injury severity remains unclear, any absence in camp can be costly, especially in a four-man quarterback battle.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Pickett is being evaluated daily, with Thursday’s off-day serving as a checkpoint for injured players like him.

“With any player, you’re getting evaluated every day as you rehab,” Stefanski said. “We’ll make a decision when appropriate.”

Pickett, a 2022 first-round pick acquired from the Eagles. He was expected to push Flacco for the starting job. Instead, his injury has opened the door for Flacco. The veteran started five games for the Browns. Flacco, 40, has taken the majority of first-team reps in Pickett’s absence, and the shift in reps suggests the coaching staff may already be leaning his way.

Joe Flacco is remaining even-keeled in the Browns quarterback battle

Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) throws a pass as quarterback Joe Flacco (15) looks on during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

“I’ve been trying to keep my head down this whole time,” Flacco said. “I think we’ll see over the next week how they want to treat it.”

Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders remain in the mix, but both have mostly run behind the veterans. Gabriel has started seeing increased action with the first unit, though Sanders, a fifth-round pick, has yet to make a strong push.

Whether Pickett’s hamstring keeps him out days or weeks, the missed time may cost him his shot at the starting role, and in a crowded room, that could also put his roster spot in jeopardy. As Stefanski noted, the quarterback depth chart remains “in pencil,” but injuries have a way of clarifying the picture.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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