With training camp and the new season just around the corner, the Browns‘ quarterback battle is heading into the home stretch. And it’s down to two names: Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. As for Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, they’ve pretty much fallen out of the mix. But the story doesn’t end there. The team still needs a reliable backup who can be ready when it counts. And word is, one of the remaining quarterbacks, especially one of the rookies, might be getting cut by the end of July.
Dillon Gabriel, in all fairness, doesn’t seem to be the one who will be cut from the roster. Especially given that he was the Browns’ first-choice rookie quarterback and was drafted even before Shedeur. While Sanders was constantly touted as the Browns’ next QB1 and a better performer than Gabriel, Dillon kept working silently. Now that he’s somewhat surpassed Shedeur in the quarterback depth order, he has taken a big step to solidify his position. And maybe even become one of the regular quarterbacks.
The major step we’re talking about? It’s basically Dillon cutting short his offseason break. That’s not all, he’s also taken to training alone and away from the team to improve his quality. Posting about his training sessions, Gabriel uploaded a carousel of photos on Instagram that showed him training with a few of his mates. This also shows how desperate and hungry he is to get the top spot in his team. At the same time, it also seems to be a result of the report confirming that he’s out of the top two spot in the quarterback race because of an ulterior motive.
The ulterior motive, as per a Browns insider, Jason Lloyd, is to make Flacco and Pickett the top two starting quarterbacks. While it may not seem problematic, here’s the real deal. The Browns’ reported plan is to use these two to lose a few games, so they drop in the standings. As a result, they get better picks and a new franchise QB in 2026. Essentially, making this season a temporary fix to achieve a bigger goal. While this is just a report, it would seem unlikely for Kevin Stefanski to sabotage his team this way.
As we go closer to the training camps, one thing’s for sure. It’s going to be either Kenny Pickett or Joe Flacco who will take the QB1 spot. But things are starting to get clearer, and as the blur turns into focus, one face is being predicted to be the Browns’ No.1 pick.
Kevin Stefanski decides on Browns’ QB1 spot
The Browns fans have been waiting a long time for an answer on who will be their starting quarterback. Even Stefanski has been quite elusive in his answers. Even though he hasn’t yet given us a final answer, hints have been dropping around. And if you look deep enough, you’ll find one name that we’ve been hearing the most. No, it’s not the 40-year-old QB Joe Flacco or any of the rookies; instead, it’s Kenny Pickett.
Former NFL receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh talked about the Browns quarterback scene and noted one thing. Sanders definitely isn’t in the race. Rather, it’s more of a competition between Pickett and Gabriel. He said, “I was told by somebody that’s in the building, that ain’t a player, it’s really coming down to Kenny Pickett or Dillon Gabriel.” This being considered, logically, Kevin would choose Kenny over Dillon. The reason is simple. Dillon Gabriel is a rookie, fresh from college, and will need time to acclimate. Whereas, Pickett has been a veteran who’s been a part of a Super Bowl-winning team.
Even though Kenny was not a regular in that team and only played 5 games, he still has the other 25 games he played. Giving him some valuable experience. As for Flacco, he will want to be the QB1 and lead this team. His biggest opponent? His age. Considering that he’s probably playing in his last season, Stefanski would not want to rely on him too much. While he will still be using Flacco to get some quality throws, he will be developing Pickett to take the lead for the future seasons. That is, if he isn’t traded and Kevin doesn’t go down the 2026 franchise player route.
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