The Cleveland Browns have been one of the most interesting teams to follow during training camp because they have perhaps the most interesting position battle in the league. With Deshaun Watson likely to miss the entire 2025 campaign after re-rupturing his Achilles in January, the quarterback position is wide open in Cleveland.
Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders have been battling it out for the starting job, and it still appears to be anyone’s race. While the Browns have been criticized for their handling of the situation by some fans, former NFL quarterback Shaun King actually believes they have nailed it so far.
Shaun King Dishes on Browns’ Quarterback Battle
King played in the NFL for six years from 1999 to 2004 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback in 2000, as he threw for 2,769 yards and 18 touchdowns, while also rushing for 353 yards and five more scores. The problem was that he committed 17 turnovers, although the Bucs did still post a 10-6 record and find their way to the postseason that year.
During his time in the league, King saw his fair share of quarterback battles, so he knows how these things tend to play out. Sometimes, it’s an actual battle, and sometimes, it’s a battle on the surface, but internally, the team will already know who they are going to turn to under center come Week 1.
In Cleveland, Flacco seems to have the inside track, but the Browns are giving everyone an opportunity to earn the starting gig. King likes the way that head coach Kevin Stefanski and company have handled the situation, because he thinks whoever ends up starting in Week 1 will have actually earned the job.
“I think (Kevin Stefanski) and Jim Haslem have handled this process at an elite level,” King said on “Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.” “They’ve not piggy tailed any of the four competitors, so whoever ends up being the starter is going to actually have organically earned it.”
Who Should the Browns Start at Quarterback Come Week 1?
The other aspect of the Browns’ quarterback competition that is so unique is that there are reasons for every player in the battle to start. Flacco, despite being 40 years old, is probably the safest option, and he has familiarity with Cleveland’s offensive system, having just led them to the playoffs in 2024. However, the Browns aren’t expected to be very good in 2025, which could lead them to turn to the former first-rounder, Pickett, or one of their two rookies.
It’d be a shock if whoever starts Week 1 ends up starting all 17 games for the Browns this upcoming season. And with this year being considered a rebuild year of sorts, Cleveland has the freedom to see what each of these guys has to offer. Whoever ends up starting in Week 1 will have earned the starting job, though, and that’s precisely how King believes it should be.
