Kevin Stefanski Reveals When He'll Name Browns' Starting Quarterback

Cleveland has one preseason game to go before showtime.
Kevin Stefanski outlined his timeline in a Sunday press conference.
Kevin Stefanski outlined his timeline in a Sunday press conference. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The Browns' quarterback competition—among the most wide-ranging and frequently discussed of the last decade—is nearing its end.

Cleveland plans to name a starting quarterback for its opener against the Bengals within the next week, coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Sunday, via ESPN's Adam Schefter. Per Stefanski, the Browns want to use their preseason finale against the Rams on Saturday as a dress rehearsal for the opener.

Stefanski will have four quarterbacks to choose from: veteran Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco, still-young ex-college star Kenny Pickett, experienced rookie Dillon Gabriel, and fan-favorite rookie Shedeur Sanders.

Flacco, the only member of the quartet to remain healthy throughout camp, is currently first on the depth chart. Both Sanders and Gabriel have steered Cleveland in preseason game action, with Sanders faring better (albeit agains the lowly Panthers).

Whoever takes the reins will have a tall task, as the Browns seek to brush off a 3-14 campaign a year ago—their worst record since 2017.


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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .