Outlook on the quarterback competition
The biggest question surrounding the Browns’ roster during training camp centers around who the starting quarterback in Week 1 of the regular season will be. The Browns have planned to use training camp to evaluate their four quarterbacks in Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, holding a true quarterback competition.
In this first four-day stretch of camp before the Browns have an off day, Stefanski said they have a plan in place for the quarterback practice order and reps that each quarterback takes. Then, they will use the off day to re-assess quarterback reps for the following week of practice.
They will continue to utilize the “two-spot” approach, in which they split into groups on two fields and run drills simultaneously. The Browns used one period on the first day of training camp in that setup to give reps to all four quarterbacks.
One element of training camp and the preseason that could play a factor in the competition will be the joint practices against the Panthers and the Eagles. Those practices allow the quarterbacks to be exposed to a different defense that isn’t the Browns, and experience different looks and adjust to different players. Stefanski said those practices – which will include one joint practice with the Panthers ahead of Week 1 of the preseason and two with the Eagles ahead of Week 2 of the preseason – will provide valuable information in their evaluation process.
But Stefanski also isn’t setting a timeline just yet on when he wants to have a decision made on the starter.
“I have a plan that’s in pencil, and we have to take in information every single day, take in how guys are handling certain situations, and then adjust from there. But we’ll get to those types of decisions later on,” Stefanski said. “I think the big thing for me is putting our guys in a position where we can evaluate them. I think they did a great job in the spring. All four of those guys, I will continue to put them in some situations, but ultimately, we’d love to make decisions sooner than later.”