Sports
As training camp approaches, Cleveland Browns’s veterans have made it clear: they’re excited to see Joe Flacco take charge under center ahead of Shedeur Sanders.
A game-worn leader and former Super Bowl MVP, Flacco appears positioned to early command snap counts in Kevin Stefanski’s offense-a development that is generating buzz among the team’s veteran core.
Shedeur Sanders regrets getting a speeding ticket in Cleveland suburb
Tight end David Njoku emphasized the importance of veteran presence when he spoke after June’s celebrity softball game, saying, “It’s all very exciting for sure… Words are words, we gotta put in the work and get after it.”
With familiarity in Stefanski’s system and a track record of late-season 2023 performance, Flacco is quickly becoming the preferred option for leadership in Cleveland’s revamped QB room.
Flacco brings experience and high expectations
Signed earlier this year to a one-year deal, the 40-year-old veteran impressed during OTAs and minicamp, even with limited repetitions. He acknowledged that he would welcome more snaps, saying,
“I’d love to go out there and take 120 reps a day and get in the groove and do all those things… but my job is to just trust [Stefanski], go out there and do the best I can.”
While Stefanski’s plan during the offseason has been a mix of teaching and talent evaluation, quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett have received consistent first-team reps, while rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel have been rotated with backups. As the coach noted, the early phase is about installation – not a final statement on depth charts.
Still, insiders have observed Flacco “operated the offense the best, pushed the ball downfield” and acknowledged how his command and consistency during red zone and team drills stood out.
Flacco brings credentials: Super Bowl MVP, Comeback Player of the Year, and experience leading the Browns to a late-season 4-1 stretch in 2023. That run moved the Browns into playoff contention and reinforced his ability to execute Stefanski’s play-action-heavy scheme.
For offensive teammates, a steady hand at QB provides calm confidence. With returning stars and new additions hungry to advance beyond the 3-14 collapse of 2024, lighting a fire under the offense starts with a quarterback who commands attention and trust.
Flacco himself has remained even-keeled, saying he’s simply “getting through all the reads the right way. I feel great with that… and the other things will come.”
QB room heat builds ahead of training camp
Despite veteran support and encouraging performance, Flacco faces stiff competition from Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. The rookie callers are slotting in next to him as well as second-year QB Kenny Pickett.
Stefanski reminds everyone: “We have no preconceived notions of who’s gonna be the starting quarterback… We want to put together a good room and have good competition and see what comes of it.”
Amid the rotation, analysts like Mark Schlereth have cautioned against reading too much into OTAs, noting these sessions are controlled and heavily scripted, favoring offensive reps. On scripted drills, Schlereth warned, “to put any weight into this is just moronic.”
Yet even with structured drills, passing efficiency and veteran familiarity carry weight when coaches assess readiness ahead of full camp.
As July approaches and training camp looms, Cleveland’s QB battle is poised to intensify. Will Flacco’s experience secure the Week 1 nod? Or will youth, mobility, or peak performance pave the way for a rookie breakout?
One thing’s clear: Cleveland’s veterans are rooting for Flacco – and whatever happens next, the intense competition is already paying dividends.
This news was originally published on this post .
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