Kenny Pickett trying to keep Browns' QB competition alive through preseason finale

According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett won’t play in Saturday's game at the Philadelphia Eagles as Pickett continues his recovery from the lingering hamstring injury that sidelined him for Cleveland's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8.

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Pickett indicated he could potentially take some snaps when the Browns wrap up the preseason with a home game versus the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 23. 

"I feel like I'm turning the corner a little bit this week, which is really positive," Pickett said about his health, per Madison Williams of Sports Illustrated. "I was able to run a little bit more than yesterday. I'm getting there. Taking it one day at a time."

Browns reporter Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand is among those who think the club could name Joe Flacco its starter for the Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals as soon as Sunday. As of Thursday afternoon, FanDuel Sportsbook had Flacco as a -310 betting favorite to get the nod for the Bengals matchup over Pickett (+360). 

That said, previous reports suggested some within the Browns wanted Pickett to win the job because of the ages of the top two candidates. Flacco is 40 years old, while Pickett turned 27 in June. 

2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel will start against the Eagles on Saturday if the hamstring problem that kept him out of the Carolina game isn't an issue at that time. Meanwhile, 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders may be out of action for the remainder of the preseason because of the oblique injury he picked up this week. 

Sanders completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina, but he was still fourth on the unofficial Cleveland depth chart as of Thursday. 

Gabriel and journeyman Tyler Huntley are on track to take all of the snaps at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. Neither will leapfrog a healthy Flacco on the depth chart in August, but a poor showing from Gabriel could essentially guarantee that Pickett will be Cleveland's QB2 for the Cincinnati game as long as he's still with the Browns at that time.