Cleveland Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand famous late Sunday night time that head coach Kevin Stefanski was “undoubtedly” going to call veteran Joe Flacco the crew’s Week 1 beginning quarterback as quickly as Tuesday.
It seems Stefanski did not want to attend that lengthy.
Kelsey Russo of the Browns’ web site confirmed on Monday afternoon that Flacco will function Cleveland’s QB1 for its regular-season opener towards the Cincinnati Bengals
on Sept. 7. That publish formally ended what really turned a quarterback competitors in identify solely after presumed backup Kenny Pickett suffered a hamstring harm on July 26 that saved him out of the membership’s first two preseason video games.
Even earlier than Pickett skilled that setback, there was no indication that Stefanski needed to start out both 2025 third-round draft decide Dillon Gabriel or 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders towards the Bengals. Gabriel missed Cleveland’s 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8 due to a hamstring problem however then had a strong outing within the Browns’ 22-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles this previous Saturday. Sanders performed nicely towards Carolina however sat out the Eagles contest due to an indirect harm.
As for Flacco, the notion exists that the 40-year-old did not want preseason reps to be able to go for the Cincinnati recreation. In the course of the 2023 season, the one-time Tremendous Bowl MVP gained 4 of 5 begins to information the 2023 Browns to a playoff berth.
For a chunk revealed shortly earlier than the Browns shared their anticipated announcement, Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated talked about that different gamers within the Cleveland locker room “know Flacco is their most suitable choice” concerning Week 1. Breer added that “the Browns are comfy holding 4 quarterbacks” on their energetic roster by way of no less than the early components of the upcoming season.
As of Monday, it was unclear if Pickett will be capable of play in Cleveland’s preseason finale versus the Los Angeles Rams this coming Saturday. One wonders if Pickett will push to take the sphere on Aug. 23 in order that he can audition for a crew that could really feel its long-term reply on the place is not on the roster in the present day.
Then once more, Browns normal supervisor Andrew Berry could elect to carry onto Pickett till Stefanski decides that both Gabriel or Sanders is able to face a reside protection in a significant recreation. For now, the Cleveland beginning job is formally Flacco’s to lose for the primary time since January 2024.
