Sportsnaut
When the NFL offseason kicked off, no one knew who would emerge as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback for the 2025 league year. Once word emerged of Deshaun Watson re-tearing the Achilles tendon that ended his season after just seven games, the situation got even muddier.
Yet, Browns general manager Andrew Berry has been extremely busy, adding four new quarterbacks to the roster. In fact, the only quarterback remaining from the 2024 roster is Watson, who may not even be available for the bulk of the season.
So, now that OTAs have kicked off, which quarterback had the special privilege of taking the initial first-team reps with the starting offense in Cleveland?
Some might assume the favorite to start would be Joe Flacco, since he’s the most accomplished option on the roster, having won Super Bowl XLVII MVP. Yet, he’s also 40 years old, meaning Flacco’s best days are already behind him.
However, some might argue that other quarterbacks have more untapped potential. After all, Kenny Pickett was a first-round pick in 2022. Then, we also have the Browns’ hand-picked QB from the 2025 NFL Draft, rookie third-round selection Dillon Gabriel. Then there’s also the highly-touted Shedeur Sanders, who no one expected to slip to the fifth round.
So, who did former NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski install as the Browns’ starting QB when OTAs kicked off? It wasn’t Flacco.
Instead, the Browns surprisingly gave Pickett the first crack at the starting job. It’s an especially interesting decision, considering Flacco already knows Stefanski’s offense from when he joined the team mid-season, yet still started five games.
If anything, it sends a strong signal, that the Browns are still big believers in what Pickett is capable of despite having never worked with him before. Or perhaps it’s the first step toward trying to find a trade partner for one of their quarterbacks now that the room is a bit crowded.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: Where do the Cleveland Browns rank?
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