Earlier this week Kevin Stefanski announced that Joe Flacco would be the Week 1 regular-season starter for the Cleveland Browns. And what once felt like Kenny Pickett's job to lose in Cleveland has now turned into a question of whether he’ll make the roster.
Lets be clear, it wasn’t anything that Pickett did that could cost him a roster spot, but more that he wasn’t available because of an injury, and what the rookies were able to accomplish. With both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders looking more than competent in their one preseason start, could Pickett be out of Cleveland if one or both of the rookies shine today vs. the Rams?
The answer has to be yes, but luckily, the Browns are in a strong position. Is it ideal to carry four quarterbacks on your initial 53-man roster? No, but has it been done before, yes. On the flip side, if a team is in desperate need of a quarterback, will the Browns feel comfortable picking up another mid-round pick in 2026 and moving on from Pickett? If either rookie looks like they did in their first start, the answer is also yes.
Kevin Stefanski: Starters will play 20-25 plays v Rams.
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) August 21, 2025
Preseason games don’t typically carry a ton of excitement, but for the reasons above, this one will. Not only will we see Flacco and the starters for the first time, but we will also see Gabriel and Sanders with a little bit of pressure on them. You can bet they are more than aware that another spectacular performance could bump them to the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart before the start of the season.