Insider explains how Browns' QB competition changed during spring workouts

A recent update suggested that the Cleveland Browns "want" 27-year-old Kenny Pickett to win the club's starting quarterback job over 40-year-old Joe Flacco as part of a competition that includes rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. 

For a piece published on Friday, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer shared what changed about the club's QB battle from the start of spring workouts through the end of mandatory minicamp. 

"Pickett headed into the competition with an early edge but must come up the learning curve quickly to beat out Flacco," Cabot wrote. 

Cabot added that the Browns hoped when they acquired Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles back in March that he might be able to follow in the footsteps of Sam Darnold, a previous castoff who resurrected his career with the Minnesota Vikings last season. 

However, Flacco was the "best pure thrower" of Cleveland's four active quarterbacks throughout the spring. As Cabot noted, Flacco also "has an edge in the competition by his half a season here and his intimate knowledge of coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense and the Browns’ personnel." 

During the 2023 season, Flacco took control of Stefanski’s offense and went 4-1 as a starter to guide the Browns to a playoff berth.

According to Cabot, Flacco "has the full support of big-time veterans such as All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett." Garrett agreed to a four-year, $160M contract extension that included $123.5M guaranteed not long after he went public with his desire to be traded to an advertised championship contender this past winter. 

As of Friday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook listed Flacco as a +110 betting favorite to start Cleveland's Week 1 game versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. Pickett was second on the list at +200 odds, followed by Gabriel (+500) and then Sanders (+700). 

"The way it stands," Cabot explained, "Sanders and Gabriel will be more likely to get a chance later in the season, but they haven’t been ruled out to be the Browns’ opening day starter for the 2025 season." 

The Browns will play preseason games at the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8 and at the Eagles on Aug. 16. Cabot thinks that "the Browns should have a pretty good idea who will be under center Week 1 when the Cincinnati Bengals come to town" before Cleveland wraps the preseason up with a matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 23. 

It remains to be seen if either Gabriel or Sanders can perform well enough through the Eagles matchup to leapfrog either Flacco or Pickett on the depth chart ahead of the home game against the Rams.