The Cleveland Browns entered training camp with questions at quarterback, and one NFL analyst believes he knows how this heated competition will end. With multiple signal-callers vying for the starting spot, the coaching staff faces a critical decision that could define their 2025-26Â season.
Why Does Joe Flacco Hold the Edge in Cleveland’s Quarterback Battle?
The Browns’ coaching staff needs answers quickly. After months of speculation regarding the quarterback depth chart, training camp practices and preseason games will determine who takes the first snaps of the regular season. Following an offseason spent stockpiling talent at the position, head coach Kevin Stefanski and his staff must emerge from camp confident they’ve made the right choice.
While teams can always reassess after a few weeks, constantly bouncing between quarterbacks signals upheaval and creates unwanted distractions. The Athletic’s Zac Jackson offered his prediction on who the Browns will ride with heading into the season opener.
“My stab at predicting the Week 1 starter:
[Joe] Flacco: 75 percent
[Kenny] Pickett: 20 percent, but just partially due to the injury uncertainty. Flacco has been in this offense and this locker room before.
Any other outcome: 5 percent
It’s impossible to know much of anything at this point, so I certainly wouldn’t try to predict anything beyond that. I feel zero urgency from the folks in charge to treat [Shedeur] Sanders as anything but a talented, developmental-type prospect, and I truly believe the team is open to multiple scenarios — internally and externally — depending on how things go in August.”
From a practical standpoint, Joe Flacco makes the most sense by a wide margin. The veteran possesses several key advantages that separate him from the other quarterbacks in the room. Most importantly, he already knows the offense from his previous stint with the team. During the 2023 campaign, Flacco won four of five starts, leading Cleveland to a playoff berth when the season seemed lost.
Beyond his familiarity with the system, Flacco maintains the complete trust of the coaching staff based on that proven track record. While neither flashy nor explosive, the 40-year-old gives the Browns a steady presence who won’t make catastrophic mistakes or attempt plays beyond his physical limitations. At this stage of his career, Flacco will execute the offense exactly as Stefanski envisions, with zero deviation from the game plan.
What if Joe Flacco is just elite again now that he’s back in a Browns’ uniform? pic.twitter.com/OhDdv8OMvr
— SleeperBrowns (@SleeperBrowns) July 28, 2025
What Challenges Do Kenny Pickett and the Rookies Face?
Despite being significantly more athletic than Flacco, Kenny Pickett lacks both the system experience and earned trust necessary to take the reins immediately. The former Pittsburgh Steeler brings talent but needs time to fully grasp Stefanski’s offensive concepts.
Meanwhile, rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel represent the future but lack the in-game experience required to command a complex NFL offense right away. Both players show tremendous potential, yet asking either to lead the team from Day One would be asking too much of any first-year player.
This creates a clear hierarchy where experience trumps raw ability, at least for the season opener. The coaching staff understands they need reliability above all else as they attempt to build momentum early in the 2025-26Â campaign.
Flacco’s potential starting role, while not particularly exciting for fans, represents the safest option for a team focused on playing sound, mistake-free football. However, questions remain about how the veteran will handle elite pass rushers and limited receiver separation when the games count. If Cleveland does choose Flacco for Week One, the bigger question becomes how long the coaching staff will stick with him if struggles emerge early in the season.
