Breaking down the Browns’ 2025 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.