Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco talk drive to win starting job, handling the uncertainty, how they spent their summer breaks

BEREA — Training camp is ramping up. The fans show up Friday. The preseason starts in two weeks. The regular season four weeks after that."It's definitely more real now," quarterback Kenny Pickett said Thursday of the four-man battle for the starting job. "I think the springtime was a great time to work things through and now it's time to go."Myles Garrett sets expectations high on Day 1: Super Bowl and another DPOYPickett, 27, and Joe Flacco, 40, appear to be in a tight battle to win the job for Week 1 vs. the Bengals on Sept. 7 at Huntington Bank Field. Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are also in the mix but have to prove they're ready for everything that comes with the job.Coack Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday on the first day of camp he'll keep dividing the reps among the four until the first off day of camp Sunday. Then he'll huddle with the coaching staff and could narrow the competition and adjust the reps.Browns QB Joe Flacco on his mindset as he tries to win starting job. pic.twitter.com/mkvtGfaHoF— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 24, 2025https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe contenders are trying to remain flexible."It's tough to have expectations," Flacco said. "I guess I know a little bit what to expect at least for the next week. It's hard for me to tell what it's going to look like two, three weeks from now."Kevin Stefanski on Quinshon Judkins arrest: These are things we take very, very, very seriouslyHe took the first first-team rep on air and in seven-on-seven drills Wednesday. Pickett was first in the only 11-on-11 drill and was followed by the rookies as Flacco got the drill off."It's really a day at a time," Pickett said. "You don't know what you're going to get that day. You're just showing up and I think every guy here is prepared to go play the entire practice. That's how I look at it."Whatever schedule for that day, I want to make sure that I know everything inside and out, so whatever reps I do get, I can take advantage of it."In the team drill, Pickett was "sacked" by rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham, hit receiver DeAndre Carter on a crossing route off a rollout and connected with receiver Jerry Jeudy on a deep cross vs. cornerback Greg Newsome II."Whatever you can get with the guys in live speed, especially going against the defense full 11-on-11, calling the play in the huddle, breaking the huddle, lining up, knowing where guys are going to be, the timing of the play, how each guy runs his route," Pickett said. "It all plays into playing quarterback at a high level. So whenever you can get those reps and that experience is huge."Training Camp Log, Day 1: Joe Flacco gets off to strong start in QB derbyHe is determined to earn another chance as a starter. He was the No. 20 pick of the Steelers in 2022 and went 14-10 in two years but was replaced and granted a trade request in the 2024 offseason. He spent last year as Jalen Hurts' backup as the Eagles won the Super Bowl.The Browns traded backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick for Pickett in March, and he hasn't stopped talking about his desire to be the starter."It's an opportunity to compete. That's all you can ask for," Pickett said.Flacco is driven to win the job and continues to believe he can play at a high level despite his age. He brings a different perspective after being the unquestioned starter for 10-plus years in Baltimore, winning 105 regular-season games and being named MVP of a Super Bowl victory."I'm as determined as ever to just be the best quarterback that I can be," he said. "It's so easy to, and I do it, I'm guilty of it, it's so easy to look ahead, picture yourself as the starter and hearing that news and things like that. But second day at camp, I think the best thing for me is to just stay in the moment and come out here and have fun and compete and just do what I love to do. I think that's going to be the best way for me to show what I can do and all that stuff."He does have extra incentive to emerge as the starter — five kids who asked after minicamp if he'd already won the job."Honestly it makes it a lot of fun," Flacco said. "It's almost like takes pressure off because that almost helps put me in the moment and see it for what it is. You wish you could see it from a 11-, 12-, 13-year-old's eyes. It helps put things in the moment and kind of really remind you of what's important and why this game is so important to you. It's just a good reminder."Flacco said he threw a lot between minicamp and training camp, using his family as targets and giving his boys tips on taking three- and five-step drops. Pickett worked with his personal quarterbacks coach and thought the time was critical as he continues to transition to Stefanski's system, which includes more time under center than in his previous stops.Browns QB Kenny Pickett on what he did between minicamp and training camp. pic.twitter.com/GEvH5GOgrA— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 24, 2025https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"I would treat those days that I would throw like an install day," Pickett said. "So Install 1, I would go home, watch the tape, study it and I would write down all the routes and the footwork that I wanted to do. I did that throughout the summer in all my throwing sessions to almost cheat a little extra practice."Pickett called his relationship with Flacco "awesome," saying he's the best guy to ask about Stefanski's system given his experience here in 2023, when he came off the couch to lead a magical December run to the playoffs."It feels like you're almost talking to an older brother or something when you're in there," Pickett said. "He's a great guy."Even as the biggest threat to his dream of starting."It's not necessarily talked about between the two of us, but you obviously know," Flacco said.Browns QB Joe Flacco on dynamic of competition with Kenny Pickett. pic.twitter.com/ElmaUOBuTB— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 24, 2025https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsStefanski said he'll continue to put all four quarterbacks in situations during practice but "we'd love to make decisions sooner than later."Flacco would appreciate that."There are ideal situations, obviously, and then there's just the reality of the situation," he said. "It's one of those things that I really don't have any control over. So I'm really not worried about when anything happens. Obviously there's advantages to knowing earlier than later but, hey, it's just part of the game." The post Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco talk drive to win starting job, handling the uncertainty, how they spent their summer breaks first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.