Joe Flacco Emerges as Winner of Cleveland Browns' Quarterback Competition

Strategic Insights -

Joe Flacco, a 40-year-old veteran quarterback, has emerged as the winner of the Cleveland Browns' four-way quarterback competition. Flacco will start for the Browns when they host AFC North rival Cincinnati in the Sept. 7 opener. Despite being considered the underdog, Flacco impressed coaches with his consistent performance and leadership skills throughout the competition. He beat out Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders, with the latter two suffering injuries during training camp.

Key Takeaways:

  • Flacco has 191 regular-season starts and is entering his 18th season, giving him a significant edge in experience.
  • The 40-year-old quarterback was the only one without an injury during training camp, allowing him to get more reps and get comfortable with the team's offense.
  • Flacco won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after going 4-1 as a starter and averaging over 300 passing yards per game with the Browns.
  • Despite not playing in preseason games, Flacco has seen most of the first-team snaps throughout camp and has been getting plenty of work in joint practices.
  • Flacco will see action on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason finale, which will serve as a dress rehearsal for the starters.
  • Coach Kevin Stefanski praised Flacco's leadership skills, saying he's the "same guy every single day" and that he's done a "really nice job" in camp.
  • Pickett, who was considered Flacco's main competition, has been dealing with a hamstring injury and has not been a full participant in practice since July 26.
  • The Browns were optimistic that Pickett or Sanders could return to practice sometime this week, but it's unclear if they'll be ready for the season opener.

Statistics:

  • 94 regular-season starts by Joe Flacco, including those with the Browns, which is the most among all quarterbacks in the competition.
  • 4-1 record by Flacco as a starter with the Browns in the 2023 season, which helped the team make the playoffs.
  • 300+ passing yards per game averaged by Flacco with the Browns in 2023, which is a high mark for him.
  • 18th season for Joe Flacco, the longest active career in the NFL among quarterbacks.

Sources:

  • "Joe Flacco wins Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition, starts in opener" by The Associated Press, August 28, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/joe-flacco-wins-browns-quarterback-competition-0f9509692ba43df4e5c978355f3eaa51
  • "Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski praises Joe Flacco's leadership" by The Associated Press, August 24, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/cleveland-browns-coach-kevin-stefanski-praises-joe-flacco-leadership-50e4b7a475ed24ca2c6f4b9a0f53ec70