The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback race might not be a race at all.
Joe Flacco entered training camp as the projected starter, and that hasn’t changed in the slightest so far.
With Kenny Pickett missing practices with a hamstring injury, it’s hard to imagine someone beating Flacco for the job unless he also gets injured.
Flacco is a proven veteran, and he’s familiar with the offense, so he might not need as many reps as younger players.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean the 40-year-old doesn’t have to work on his game and, more importantly, prove that he’s still got plenty left in the tank.
“I think there’s probably some truth to the fact that maybe I don’t need as many reps,” Flacco told The Athletic. “But I do need reps. And not only do I need reps, I want reps. I like reps. I want to get better. And also, I want to be able to show guys, hey, I can still do it.”
Flacco is a competitor, and competitors want to be on the field as often as possible.
He also knows that this might be the end of the line for him, and he wants to leave on his terms and on a high note.
During the 2023 season, Flacco gave the Browns their best quarterback play in decades, and while replicating that success may be a lot to ask, he would give the team the best shot at contention this season.
Of course, it might be better to give Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders the bulk of the reps to show whether they can be a starter in the NFL, but the Browns know they can’t open the season slowly, so they likely will roll with the veteran for as long as he’s healthy.
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