The Cleveland Browns quarterback competition gained new clarity during Wednesday’s joint practice with the Carolina Panthers.
While some felt Carolina had the edge overall, it was Cleveland’s signal callers who delivered the day’s standout performances when the spotlight mattered most.
Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel both turned in impressive showings during 7-on-7 drills after dealing with recent hamstring issues that had limited their availability, per ESPN Cleveland.
Pickett, making his return from a hamstring injury, completed 5 of 7 passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Gabriel matched that efficiency level, going 7-for-8 with one touchdown while showing no signs of the hamstring tightness that had slowed him recently.
Browns and Panthers joint practice just wrapped up. Here’s how all 5 QBs performed in team drills.
Shedeur Sanders will start the preseason game on Friday. pic.twitter.com/HDgeXEfpm8
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 6, 2025
Both quarterbacks demonstrated improved rhythm and pocket presence despite ongoing struggles with pre-snap penalties and timing issues that have plagued the offense throughout camp.
The performance comes at a crucial time as the Browns continue sorting through their quarterback depth chart.
Joe Flacco remains positioned to start Week 1, though he failed to throw a touchdown during Wednesday’s session.
Shedeur Sanders, who will start Friday’s preseason opener, completed four of seven passes without finding the end zone.
Tyler Huntley, added earlier this week for additional depth, went 2-for-5 in his limited action.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that both Pickett and Gabriel will sit out Friday’s game as they continue their rehabilitation process.
However, their Wednesday showing could influence future evaluations moving forward.
Gabriel delivered what many considered his best camp performance to date, potentially earning more 11-on-11 repetitions when the Browns face Philadelphia next week.
Pickett also impressed with sharp red-zone execution and strong timing with receivers despite missing significant practice time over the past two weeks.
While Sanders gets the preseason nod, Gabriel and Pickett made the strongest cases for their futures.
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