The Cleveland Browns will enter training camp later this month with a pool of four quarterbacks from which to choose a starter.
Who head coach Kevin Stefanski prefers remains unknown, though star edge rusher Myles Garrett made his preference of veteran Joe Flacco clear based on a report from Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com in late June.
"He’s already felt the love from Browns fans, and has the full support of big-time veterans such as All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett," Cabot reported. "Flacco might not get many as many snaps in practice as the others because he doesn’t need them, but the Browns know what he can do."
Flacco has the arm strength and familiarity to succeed in Stefanski's system, even if the group of pass-catchers isn't as talented as the one Flacco had at his disposal in 2023. He earned a 4-1 record down the stretch as the team's starter and helped Cleveland earn the top wildcard spot in the AFC playoffs in January 2024.
Garrett was Flacco's teammate two years ago, when the then 38-year-old quarterback made quick converts of the locker room and the city. He struggled with turnovers, throwing eight interceptions compared to 13 touchdowns during his five regular-season starts and also tossed two picks against the Houston Texans in the Browns' first-round playoff loss.
The Browns moved on from Flacco following that campaign to clear a path for Deshaun Watson to excel during his third season with the team. However, Watson played poorly to begin the 2024 campaign and then suffered an Achilles tear before the midseason mark. He has since re-torn the tendon and may not be healthy enough to return at any point in 2025.
Cleveland brought Flacco back in free agency on a one-year contract for his age-40 campaign, which could be his last in the NFL. The Browns had previously traded with the Philadelphia Eagles for Kenny Pickett, 27, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
The Browns then selected Dillon Gabriel out of Oregon in the third round of the NFL draft in April. Cleveland decided to also take Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado early in the fifth round after he dropped all the way to Day 3 in an unexpected and unprecedented slide.
