Cleveland anticipates Joe Flacco’s first prominent action of the preseason as the Browns wind down exhibition play, aiming to lock in the starter role he earned over a quartet of challengers—Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley. Flacco plans to take some snaps in the Aug. 23 finale against the Rams, using the appearance as a mental and strategic tune-up before Week 1 vs. Cincinnati. Injuries have kept the others limited in practice and games, with Sanders out due to an oblique issue, Gabriel hampered by a hamstring and Pickett dealing with a hamstring setback. The Browns hope this dress rehearsal helps the offense establish an identity, balance, and rhythm, particularly after Flacco’s prior Browns tenure and near-playoff push in 2023. A Week 2 trip to Baltimore looms, revisiting a franchise he spent 11 seasons with and that once yielded a Super Bowl MVP moment, a subplot that adds intrigue to Cleveland’s early-season trajectory.

Joe Flacco edged Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Tyler Huntley to Cleveland's Week 1 starter job, becoming the second-oldest quarterback in the league this season behind Aaron Rodgers. The Browns paired a veteran presence with a room packed with youth, aiming to balance leadership with upside as they lean on a run-first offense and a ceiling-limited aerial attack. Flacco’s one-year, $4 million deal signals stability for a team intent on stabilization before young signal-callers come into their own.

Flacco’s eight-game pace last season—65.3% completions, 1,761 yards, 12 TDs, 7 INT—paints him as a floor play rather than a fantasy ceiling. In two-QB formats he’s a viable QB2 or streamer if Cleveland commits to protection and play-action, but his upside hinges on health and the offense around him. The QB room behind him remains dynamic, with Gabriel and the other contenders fighting for long-term impact. The Brady and Rodgers references in the chatter underline a broader NFL trend: veteran longevity exists, but fantasy upside is schedule-driven and often limited by age.

The Cleveland Browns open 2025 with a daunting six‑game stretch against 2024 playoff teams, and the QB puzzle remains front and center. Joe Flacco is the early starter, praised for leadership and familiarity with Kevin Stefanski’s system, but the move is pitched as a bridge, not a solution. Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders have shown promise in the preseason, each delivering scoring drives and touchdowns, yet the Browns aim to test whether either can be a franchise QB before the 2026 draft class fully arrives on the scene.

The club sits on a robust draft cache (two first‑rounders in 2026, nine picks total) and a growing QB pipeline, with names like Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, Nico Iamaleava, Cade Klubnik, and LaNorris Sellers circling as future options. The article argues Cleveland should give those rookies meaningful opportunities rather than cementing a short‑term fix with Flacco, who started five games in 2023 and helped push a playoff berth.

Gabriel and Sanders flashed upside in preseason, but the learning curve from college to the NFL is steep. The Browns need to balance immediate competitiveness with long‑term quarterback development, especially as the 2026 class looms larger and the roster evolves around a potential new signal‑caller. Flacco starts now, but the window for a true, durable solution remains wide open.

QB carousel, veteran detours, and a Browns’ starting gig collide with Kenny Pickett’s uneasy path. Joe Flacco’s unlikely Week 17 win for the Eagles lingered as a reminder that unconventional journeys still shape rosters, while Cleveland’s enrollment of Flacco muddies Pickett’s immediate outlook. The piece threads Flacco’s career from Ravens MVP to a brief Eagles cameo, then follows his trade to Cleveland and a QB competition that could ripple fantasy upside for Browns pass-catchers and the Pittsburgh links that defined Pickett’s era. It also flags possible moves tied to Saints’ coaching ties with Kellen Moore, hinting at a wider QB shuffle across contending clubs.