Browns QB Competition Shifts After Pickett Hamstring Injury

The Cleveland Browns' 2025 quarterback competition is gaining clarity following Kenny Pickett's hamstring injury, which may allow veteran Joe Flacco to secure the Week 1 starting job. Rookie quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel now have increased opportunities to prove themselves as potential backups, with Browns analysts emphasizing the importance of this critical week for their development. The Browns coaching staff is closely evaluating all four quarterbacks—Flacco, Pickett, Sanders, and Gabriel—during increasingly intense training sessions, including red zone drills where quarterbacks have started finding the end zone despite ongoing struggles with consistency. While the team maintains an open competition with no clear commitments, Pickett's injury creates uncertainty around his availability and could reshape the depth chart, potentially leading to a trade or release given the impracticality of keeping four quarterbacks. Coaches have been balancing reps among the quarterbacks, with Flacco and Pickett primarily competing for the starter position and the rookies focusing on learning the playbook and competing for backup spots. Overall, the Browns' quarterback situation remains fluid, with Sanders and Gabriel positioned to capitalize on the opportunity presented by Pickett's injury and potentially earn significant playing time this season.