The Cleveland Browns for Hard Knocks 2025 would be the perfect selection when you look at the drama already unfolding in Cleveland. It is a crew of misfits in Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders.
It is hard not to see how wildly entertaining this group has the chance to be. It is also a breath of fresh air, pushing Deshaun Watson to an irritating afterthought for the 2025 season.
On Tuesday, this competition took another step forward, as the team's veterans joined the rookies -- who were already in town for the recent minicamp -- in Cleveland.
Shedeur Sanders and Joe Flacco Should be Considered Early Favorites in Cleveland's Quarterback Competition
It doesn't come as a surprise that Joe Flacco is considered a part of this race with how the quarterback impacted the franchise his last go around. However, Kenny Pickett is clearly at the bottom of the depth chart when considering the team's current options.
Shedeur Sanders could be considered the early favorite based simply on popularity. If the competition is anywhere close, the Browns are may put the son of an NFL legend into the starting role and see what he can do.
The flip side of this is the boring veteran in Flacco. Yes, no one outside of Cleveland is going to be tuned in to see an aging Flacco attempting to lead the Browns. However, it could be in the team's best interest if they want to give this roster the best possible chance to win.
Despite being chosen earlier, it isn't a hot take to believe Dillon Gabriel is going to have to way outperform Sanders to win the starting role. Pickett, meanwhile, is the forgotten fourth option; no Cleveland fan truly believes he can win.
When you look closely, this is a three-quarterback race that is likely going to boil down to whether or not Sanders can keep up with Gabriel. Regardless of how it plays out, Cleveland's camp and preseason promises to be one of the most entertaining competitions in the league.