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yesterday

Browns Name Joe Flacco Week 1 Starter as Backup Race Tightens

Cleveland opts for veteran stability, leaving the backup order and 53-man quarterback decisions unresolved.

Jul 28, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images/ File Photo
Shedeur Sanders #12 and Dillon Gabriel #5 of the Cleveland Browns run a drill as Kenny Pickett #8 looks on during Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2025 in Berea, Ohio.
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Overview

  • Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Joe Flacco will start the Sept. 7 opener against the Bengals and said the 40-year-old "earned" the job through camp and joint practices.
  • Kenny Pickett remains limited by a hamstring and will not play in Saturday’s preseason finale, while Shedeur Sanders is easing back from an oblique injury after missing the second preseason game.
  • The reported depth chart currently stacks Flacco ahead of Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Sanders, though recent reps and availability have kept the pecking order fluid.
  • General manager Andrew Berry has said Cleveland could carry four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, a rare move that reflects ongoing evaluation of Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders.
  • Fans and analysts have criticized the handling of the competition, and some insiders project a possible midseason switch if results lag during a daunting six-game start against 2024 playoff teams.