The Cleveland Browns need a quarterback, and head coach Kevin Stefanski may as well be The Joker in The Dark Knight. In the 2008 film, Heath Ledger’s Joker character takes over a crime boss’s henchmen and regretfully informs them that only one spot exists to join him. After informing them they were going to have tryouts, he snaps a pool cue over his leg and implies they’ll have to fight to the death to claim the spot.
The Browns quarterback situation isn’t that intense, but it may as well be. After the Deshaun Watson signing flopped, Stefanski is trying to sort out the best quarterback to lead his team as his hot seat gets warmer heading into the 2025 season. While Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Joe Flacco are all candidates to get kicked to the curb, there’s one quarterback trending closer to his departure as the calendar turns to August.
Browns QB Kenny Pickett Is on the Chopping Block Entering August
Before the Browns signed Flacco and selected two quarterbacks in April’s draft, they traded for Kenny Pickett at the start of the league year. A former first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickett flamed out and spent last season as Jalen Hurts’ backup after a trade to the Philadelphia Eagles. But with the Eagles impressed by Tanner McKee’s performance, they opted to give Pickett another fresh start.
At 27 years old, it’s not inconceivable that Pickett could have emerged from the quarterback competition as the starter at the end of camp. Even if he wasn’t a long-term solution, he could at least hold down the fort until the Browns moved on to one of their rookies. But nearly two weeks in, he stumbled out of the gate.
Pickett did the right things early in the competition, working out with Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy and taking a ton of first-team reps during minicamp. Pickett has also impressed the coaching staff with his accuracy on the move but he also suffered a hamstring injury that has taken him out of practices this week.
The good news is that Pickett returned to practice on Friday, although he’s not moving at full speed. The other factor is that Stefanski has to get the quarterback decision right to help a team that finished 3-14 one year ago.
The advantage goes to Flacco, who could be a veteran stopgap until Sanders or Gabriel is ready or the Browns put their 2026 draft plans into motion. But with four quarterbacks on the roster, somebody has to go, and Pickett could be the odd man out.