The Cleveland Browns enter training camp this month with one of the most intriguing QB battles as they have four guys vying for one spot.
Coincidentally, this time last year, the Browns had four quarterbacks in camp, but it was known that Deshaun Watson would be the starter. If anything, there was competition on who would be the QB3 between Tyler Huntley and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
This year, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will be under the microscope in preseason and training camp to see who will be under center in Week 1.
Most Browns fans would be okay with Flacco likely starting, given his success in 2023 when he took over as the starting quarterback.
However, the 40-year-old Flacco isn’t the long-term answer at QB. Therefore, the Browns would like to see if someone can step up. Gabriel or Sanders could be that answer, but no one knows how they will perform in live game action.
Kenny Pickett Is Already on Thin Ice Before Training Camp Begins
That leaves Pickett, who has the most NFL playing experience behind Flacco, but also the most pressure to see if he can hack it as a starting NFL quarterback.
Last season, Pickett was the backup quarterback behind Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Hurts. The 27-year-old Pickett appeared in five games and started in the Eagles’ Week 17 matchup vs. the Dallas Cowboys.
In that game, he completed 10-of-15 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. He also added a rushing touchdown. In the Eagles’ Week 16 game against the Washington Commanders, where Pickett stepped in for an injured Hurts, he completed 14-of-24 passes for 143 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
The former first-round pick didn’t put up overly spectacular numbers in a short time in Philly, but what he showed on tape likely intrigued the Browns’ brass to trade for him. The Browns didn’t give up much in return, as they parted ways with Thompson-Robinson and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
The Browns hope that Pickett can build on his 2024 performance with the Eagles and not turn back the clock to his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he was a 62.6 percent passer with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
If Pickett shows that he can win the job out of camp and make this Browns’ passing game look somewhat respectable, that will help his value around the league to hopefully get a multi-year deal. However, if the 27-year-old signal caller gets outplayed by Flacco or the rookies, it won’t bode well for his prospects as a starter.