Kenny Pickett is leading the race in the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback competition against Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
In March, the Browns traded a 2025 fifth-rounder and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson to add Pickett to the roster.
Pickett, 26, was selected with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and in his two years there went 14-10 as a starter.
He tallied 4,474 passing yards with a 62.6 completion percentage, throwing 13 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions before being moved to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 where he served as a backup to Jalen Hurts.
Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Pickett is the early favorite for the starting job in Cleveland as Deshaun Watson continues his recovery from an achilles injury.
Gabriel and Sanders, selected in the third and fifth round of the draft respectively, are not expected see much playing time, if at all through the early stages of their careers.
It was expected the veteran Flacco, 40, would begin the season as QB1 but momentum seems to be swinging in Pickett’s favor approaching OTAs and the mandatory minicamp.
Flacco, a former Super Bowl MVP with the Baltimore Ravens, played with the Indianapolis Colts last season and shared the starting role with Anthony Richardson.
Of the 4 Browns QBs, give a % chance that each starts week 1…. @TonyGrossi says:
Joe Flacco – 45%
Kenny Pickett – 40%
Shedeur Sanders – 7.5%
Dillon Gabriel – 7.5% pic.twitter.com/h0fh15YqXs— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 19, 2025
Expectations are once again low for the Browns heading into the 2025 season and the Cleveland are a leading contender to finish with the worst regular season record in the NFL.
Kevin Stefanski’s side are considered an extreme longshot to reach the postseason after going 3-14 last year, the joint-worst record with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants.
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