The Browns are just about a month away from players reporting back to CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for the beginning of training camp. To prepare for training camp, associate editor Kelsey Russo is putting together a preview for each position on the roster. To kick things off, let's first look at the quarterbacks.
The Quarterbacks:
Joe Flacco
Dillon Gabriel
Kenny Pickett
Shedeur Sanders
Deshaun Watson
What we know: There are two things we know about the quarterbacks heading into training camp: 1) the Browns are in the midst of a four-person quarterback competition that will continue to take place over the course of training camp, and 2) Deshaun Watson will miss significant time of the 2025 season following the second surgery in January to repair his Achilles tendon rupture. So, while Watson is still on the roster, the focus for training camp will continue to center around Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
The competition has already started, but there is still much more to come that will play a factor in the decision for the starting job. The Browns used OTAs and minicamp to install the offense and learn what concepts all their quarterbacks are comfortable with. All four quarterbacks took reps during minicamp, and the Browns used a "two-spot" method to structure some of their team drills to simultaneously create more reps for all four quarterbacks. In those periods, Flacco and Pickett ran through offensive drills on one field, while Gabriel and Sanders were on another. All four made plays throughout minicamp, connecting with numerous pass-catchers in red-zone drills, throwing deep balls downfield and displaying their ability to make their reads with a level of accuracy.
During training camp, they will take the next step following installation and work to hone their offense while assessing which quarterback will run the starting offense.
The competition to become Cleveland's starting quarterback has already started, but there is still much more to come that will play a factor in the decision. Check out shots of the Browns' signal-callers as they got to work during the offseason program.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 29, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork on the second day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 10, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 15, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 6, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Dale Jones during a workout on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during a workout on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 6, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 6, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 30, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 30, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 29, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 29, 2025.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 23, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 23, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 23, 2025.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 23, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 15, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 23, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during a workout in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 21, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 15, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the third day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 12, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during the second day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2025.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) and Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the third day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 12, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during the fifth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 4, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during the sixth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 6, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the sixth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 6, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 28, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during the fourth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 3, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the fifth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 4, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during the fourth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 3, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 28, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork on the second day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 10, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork on the second day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 10, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
The biggest question: Who will be named the starter for Week 1 of the regular season? This is arguably one of the biggest questions of the entire offseason for the Browns as a whole – not just within the position group. The answer to this question should become clearer as the Browns make their way through training camp and into the preseason in preparation for Week 1.
However, it is still a competition, and the Browns will use all phases of the offseason – including training camp and the preseason – in their evaluation of who will be their starting quarterback in Week 1. Head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees have both reiterated the importance of considering all the information they can about the quarterbacks, from OTAs and minicamp all the way through training camp and the preseason. They are looking at on-field play as well as assessing specific traits such as decision-making and accuracy.
The other decision that could develop from training camp and happen with the decision of the starting quarterback is who will serve as the backup quarterback. Having all four quarterbacks competing for the starting job also provides the necessary basis to choose a backup and build out the depth chart at the quarterback position.
An interesting number: 17. Not only is there a 17-year age gap in the quarterback room, with Flacco being 40 years old and Sanders being 23 years old, but there is also a 17-year experience gap between their most veteran quarterback and their two rookies in Gabriel and Sanders. When the 2025 season kicks off, Flacco will play in his 18th NFL season, while Gabriel and Sanders can suit up for their first NFL season. The Browns quarterback room is filled with a variety of experience levels, as Pickett has played three years in the NFL, which adds another level to the quarterback competition.
Says it all: "You can see them all winning the job. And so, in terms of the competition, we're so early in the process. We're so early in evaluating that. We have a good group of guys that continue to push one another, and by the time September rolls around, we'll be ready to go." – Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees on the quarterback competition
How many were kept on the initial 53-man roster in 2024: 4
