Total Pro Sports
Kenny Pickett suffered a concerning injury that could drastically shake up the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback room.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Kenny Pickett suffered a hamstring injury at the end of practice on Saturday. He’ll undergo further evaluation, with Schefter noting that Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Joe Flacco will get more reps in practice.
It has been widely reported out of Cleveland that Flacco and Pickett are the front-runners for the QB1 job. But if Pickett misses considerable time, the opportunity opens up for Sanders and Gabriel to push Flacco for the starting job.
Browns QB Kenny Pickett injured his hamstring near the end of Saturday’s practice and is expected to re-evaluate the injury later this week, per sources. Pickett was coming off a strong couple of practices, per sources, and at least for the short term, there now will be more reps… pic.twitter.com/y2oxkt96fy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 27, 2025
The Browns remade their QB room after Deshaun Watson re-ruptured his Achilles. With Watson likely to miss all of 2025, the Browns brought back Flacco, acquired Kenny Pickett via trade and used mid-round picks on Gabriel (94th overall) and Sanders (144th overall).
Cleveland landed Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles after he won a Super Bowl 59 ring as Jalen Hurts’ backup. Pickett was sent to Philly in a blockbuster trade after just two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he went 14-10 with 13 touchdowns and as many interceptions.
Flacco, of course, has experience in Kevin Stefanski’s offense. The Browns signed him in the middle of the 2023 season, and he earned Comeback Player of the Year honors after leading them to an 11-6 record and surprise playoff appearance.
Assuming Pickett’s injury isn’t a long-term issue, the Browns will still want to give him an extended look as their possible QB1. He has more upside than Flacco, and obviously playing experience over Sanders and Gabriel.
