The Cleveland Browns are still one of the only teams that have a four-way quarterback battle going on, and the days are running out regarding who will be named the starter. In fact, it would be believed that head coach Kevin Stefanski should be picking the starter before the third and final preseason game.
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The usual case for the third preseason game is to act as the “dress rehearsal,” meaning all starters will play at least one quarter. Stefanski has been taking his time, and rightfully so.
Rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel both performed well in their starts, and Keny Pickett remains injured. Considering Joe Flacco is the only quarterback who has not played in preseason, he might be a lock for the starting job.
Either way, Stefanski has finally offered a major update on the current quarterback battle and starter conversation.
Asked Browns coach Kevin Stefanski who would start at QB for the dress rehearsal game/preseason finale vs. the Rams and the timeline for naming a Week 1 starter.“I want to get through the next couple days but that’s something that we’re gonna do here sooner than later … i need…
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 17, 2025
Browns reporter asked Stefanski about the progress on naming a starter, and the head coach offered a major development.
“Asked Browns coach Kevin Stefanski who would start at QB for the dress rehearsal game/preseason finale vs. the Rams and the timeline for naming a Week 1 starter.
‘I want to get through the next couple days but that’s something that we’re gonna do here sooner than later … i need to get the football team in here, talk to the players … we’re working towards Week 1. That’s part of what this week is about, getting our football team ready. So, we’ll make all those determinations in the next couple days.’”
Apparently, Stefanski will take the next couple of days to decide, but it sounds as though he will discuss the starter with the team, and that starter should be named before the final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Again, Flacco has been the frontrunner, so it would not be shocking if he were to take most of the first-team reps heading into the Rams game. Still, Sanders and Gabriel showed enough to be in the conversation as well.
Sanders played in the first preseason game, logging 14-for-23 attempts, 138 yards, two touchdowns, and four carries for 19 yards.
Read more: Did Dillon Gabriel Do Better Than Shedeur Sanders in Browns Debut?
Gabriel logged 13-for-18 attempts, 143 yards, and one interception. He also secured one yard on two carries.
Gabriel threw a costly pick-six and lost a fumble on a botched carry. While mistakes like this happen in preseason, it might affect his position once the regular season comes around.
The Browns’ first two depth charts had Flacco as QB1, Pickett as QB2, Gabriel as QB3, and Sanders as QB4.
It would be believed that if Flacco lands QB1, the backup spot would go to Sanders or Gabriel. Pickett might be the odd man out at this point.
Stefanski is close to naming a starter, but now the backup and third emergency quarterback slots will get very interesting.
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