After drafting Oregon product Dillon Gabriel and Colorado star Shedeur Sanders, the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback job is easily the most intriguing training camp position battle to follow this summer.
The Browns’ quarterback room consists of Sanders, Gabriel, offseason trade pickup Kenny Pickett (acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles), the returning Joe Flacco and Deshaun Watson. The latter is expected to miss significant time in 2025 recovering from a torn Achilles, and potentially the entire year.
Speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show”, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports that the 40-year-old Flacco is the early front-runner for Cleveland’s starting quarterback.
“(I) think Joe Flacco has pole position here,” Breer told Eisen.
The Browns brought back Flacco on a one-year deal worth $4.25 million in free agency following his one-year stop with the Indianapolis Colts. In a baffling move, the Browns let Flacco hit the open market in 2024 after he led them to the postseason en route to Comeback Player of the Year Award honors.
Shedeur Sanders’ stunning fall was the biggest storyline of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was expected to be a top-10 pick, with some scouts and analysts thinking he could go as high as third overall to the New York Giants.
Falling out of round one was stunning enough, but Sanders wasn’t taken until the fifth round at No. 144 overall by the Browns. And as high as Sanders’ ceiling is, it appears Flacco has the early lead on Kevin Stefanski’s QB1 competition.
Shedeur Sanders Still Has A Chance To Become The QB1
There’s still a realistic path here for Sanders to emerge as the new starting quarterback in Cleveland. Flacco is a 40-year-old journeyman, and Pickett never proved himself as a starter in Pittsburgh.
With Watson sidelined and Gabriel also an unproven rookie, it’s not impossible for Sanders to impress enough in training camp and preseason to open 2025 as the starting quarterback.
Also Read: 10 Real Reasons Why No NFL Team Wanted Any Part Of Drafting Shedeur Sanders