By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer
After four weeks, Joe Flacco has emerged as the winner of the Cleveland Browns’ four-way quarterback competition.
The Browns announced on Monday that Flacco will get the start when the Browns host AFC North rival Cincinnati in the Sept. 7 opener.
Coach Kevin Stefanski indicated over the past week that decision was coming. The Browns were off on Sunday after their 22-13 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles but had a team meeting on Monday.
The 40-year old Flacco beat out Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Deshaun Watson is on the roster, but is expected to miss the season because of injuries.
“I think it is hard when you’re only getting a couple reps here and there because it goes back to you try so hard to be perfect, and then usually you end up hurting yourself a little bit. But the last couple weeks, honestly it’s been pretty good for me,” Flacco said last week about the competition after a practice against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I’ve got to get more reps and get comfortable and feel like I’m doing things at a pretty high level. So, I can’t complain.”
Besides having 191 regular-season starts and going into his 18th season, Flacco was the only quarterback who has not missed time during training camp because of an injury.
This is Flacco’s second stint with the Browns. He won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 as a late-season signing after going 4-1 as a starter and averaging more than 300 passing yards per game as Cleveland made the playoffs for only the third time since its return in 1999.
Flacco has not played in the preseason games, but has seen most of the first-team snaps throughout camp as well as getting plenty of work in joint practices against Carolina and Philadelphia.
Flacco will see action on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams since Stefanski said the preseason finale will serve as a dress rehearsal for the starters.
“He’s the same guy every single day. I think that’s one of the things you admire about Joe is how he approaches his business,” Stefanski said about Flacco during last week’s joint workouts against the Eagles.
“He’s done a really nice job in camp. He’s also done a really nice job just providing leadership to the quarterback room, to the offense, and to the football team.”
Pickett was considered to be Flacco’s main competition, but has been dealing with a hamstring injury. Pickett — a 2022 first-round pick with Pittsburgh — is going into his fourth season after being acquired in an offseason trade with Philadelphia.
Pickett is considered to be more athletic and can make plays on the run, but he has not been a full participant in a practice since July 26.
Gabriel, who missed the preseason opener at Carolina on Aug. 8 because of a hamstring strain, played the first half against the Eagles. In five series, he completed 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards.
Sanders missed the second day of joint practices against the Eagles and did not play in the game after suffering an oblique injury last Wednesday. Sanders got the start against Carolina and completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two TD passes.
Stefanski was optimistic that Pickett or Sanders could possibly return to practice sometime this week.
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