The quarterback battle in Cleveland will be coming to an end, with the Browns set to name a starting QB later this week.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that the Week 1 starter will be announced, and that they intend to use the final preseason game of the year as a dress rehearsal of sorts before their opener against the Bengals on Sept. 7.
“We will name a starter,” Stefanski said during a news conference. “It’s going to come this week. We still anticipate all of our players, whether you’re a starter or not, to prepare like you’re the starter. Knowing all of our players in that room, that’s exactly what they’ll do.”
The Browns have had four main quarterbacks in camp this summer, which have included Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Tyler Huntley was also signed in August as the Browns dealt with injuries.
Plenty of attention has been on Sanders since the Browns selected him in the fifth round of the draft earlier this year and if he would manage to earn the starting or backup job in camp.
Sanders started in the Browns’ first preseason game and played well, but is currently day-to-day with an oblique strain.
Pickett has been dealing with an injury issue as well and has been participating in 7-on-7 drills, but he hasn’t been a part of 11-on-11 drills since it flared up in late July.
Stefanski was asked on Sunday about the idea of carrying four quarterbacks into the start of the season — an uncommon practice — and didn’t shoot down the idea outright.
“I think we’ll let it play out as we get closer to the cut down,” he said. “Those are all conversations that we are always having, but those are tough decisions. You know, I’d like to keep everybody, but not realistic.”
The Browns will play the Rams in the preseason finale this weekend, which seems like it will be a look at what Cleveland plans to do with its roster for Week 1.
“We’re working towards Week 1,” Stefanski said. “That’s part of what this week is about, getting our football team ready. So, we’ll make all those types of determinations in the next couple of days.”
