Kenny Pickett admits harsh truth about recent hamstring injury

The four-man race for the Browns QB1 job has seen a shakeup in reps lately, as Kenny Pickett missed all the team reps last week after suffering a hamstring injury. In Pickett's absence, Joe Flacco took most of the first-team reps, while Dillon Gabriel split between first and second-team reps, and Shedeur Sanders saw a mix of every unit.

Pickett and Flacco have been the favorites to win the job all offseason due to their experience, but it's hard to prove yourself to a new coaching staff without taking reps. Pickett spoke on losing ground in the QB1 race due to his injury on Saturday, as he knows he won't be able to win the job if he's not on the field.

Kenny Pickett admits hamstring injury hurts his chances in QB1 race

The former Steeler and Eagle returned to practice late last week, but he's yet to resume taking part in any team periods of practice. Pickett kept it honest when he was asked if the injury is a setback, as he admitted he's working extra hard to get back to give himself enough chances to earn the starting spot in Week 1.

Oh, yeah. Like I said, if you’re not out there, I think it’s a setback. You know, you have to be out there playing and competing to win a job. And I fully understand that. That’s why I’m pushing to get back, you know, as fast as possible.Kenny Pickett

He was also asked about his mobility, as that was something the coaching staff has been impressed with, specifically during play-action rollouts. Pickett said he will have to limit his mobility when he's completely back, but he believes the emphasis on check-downs and working from the pocket could be a long-term positive.

No, I’ll have to manage it whenever I’m back, probably a few weeks after, based on the injury and where I’m at. But I think it gives me a great opportunity just to work from the pocket, you know, find checkdowns, really improve my game from the pocket. So, I think if I look at it with that lens, you know, it could be a real positive.Kenny Pickett

It's undeniable that injuries in the NFL force guys to lose their jobs, especially when they are still competing for the spot. The Browns open their preseason schedule on Friday, and it remains to be seen when Pickett will be good to go for full-speed reps. Pickett's hamstring injury doesn't seem to be serious, but it might be just enough to hurt his chances at being the team's top signal caller.