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Daniel Oyefusi
BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns announced on Monday that veteran Joe Flacco will be their starting quarterback for the beginning of the 2025 season. This choice concludes what began as a four-way competition for the quarterback position, ultimately ending with Flacco as the clear frontrunner.
At 40 years old, Flacco has taken the vast majority of first-team snaps during training camp while fourth-year quarterback Kenny Pickett has been limited due to a hamstring injury sustained on July 26. Rookie third-round selection Dillon Gabriel has also taken some first-team snaps but missed the preseason opener because of a hamstring issue. Rookie fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders, who has not taken any first-team snaps, missed the second preseason game due to an oblique injury incurred last week.
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Deshaun Watson continues to be on the physically unable to perform list as he recuperates from an Achilles injury that is expected to keep him out for most of the 2025 season.
Flacco joined the Browns late in the 2023 season and assisted in leading them to an unexpected playoff run, where they were defeated by the Houston Texans in the wild-card round. As the starting quarterback from Day 1 in 2025, he will kick off his second tenure in Cleveland with a home match against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 7. While the current quarterback situation for the Browns is clearer with his appointment as the starter, the future remains uncertain.
The Browns utilized two of their picks in the 2025 draft on quarterbacks and also hold two first-round selections in 2026, which is anticipated to present a stronger class of quarterbacks. Gabriel and Sanders have been given chances to start in the preseason and both have shown promising moments. However, they are set to commence their professional careers as Flacco’s backups.
General manager Andrew Berry mentioned that retaining all four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster is doable, but coach Kevin Stefanski acknowledged on Sunday that it might not be practical.
«We’ll see how it unfolds as we approach the cut down,» Stefanski stated. «Those are discussions we continually engage in, but they are tough choices. I’d love to keep everyone, but that’s not practical.»
Carolina Panthers, and a team source indicated he was ready to receive more reps during joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles before the injury sidelined him. Stefanski expressed optimism that Sanders and Pickett would be able to enhance their participation in practice leading up to the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams at home on Saturday.
Facing one of the toughest opening schedules — with six consecutive games against teams boasting winning records in 2024 — Flacco could serve as a reliable bridge quarterback while Cleveland nurtures its young quarterbacks. Therefore, although the inquiries regarding the Browns’ Week 1 starter are no longer in suspense, the countdown to identify their long-term solution remains ongoing.
