Cleveland Browns training camp is right around the corner, with kickoff starting on July 25. That means a full-blown quarterback competition is set to take place between Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel plus Shedeur Sanders.
While coach Kevin Stefanski will pick the best man to win, one option may already be ahead of the pack.
According to [ESPN’s Browns expert Daniel Oyefusi](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45697092/cleveland-browns-quarterback-competition-kenny-pickett), it’s Pickett who’s already “developed a strong on-field rapport” with Cleveland’s top receiver, Jerry Jeudy.
> “While coach Kevin Stefanski downplayed the order of practice reps during the offseason workout program, Pickett got a heavy dose of reps with the first-team offense, sharing snaps with Flacco and Gabriel, a third-round pick. During the spring practices, Pickett developed a strong on-field rapport with top receiver Jerry Jeudy, with whom he also trained in the offseason.”
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> ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi on Cleveland Browns/Jerry Jeudy
Building strong chemistry with a Pro Bowl receiver is a great way to improve Pickett’s chances of making a strong impression on the coaching staff. However, Flacco is the one with previous experience operating coach Stefanski’s offense, which could give him a leg up on the competition too.
Meanwhile, if the Browns’ season spirals out of control, it would be hard for coach Stefanski not to consider seeing what he has between the two rookies, but that situation may not play out until much later in the season.
So, for now, the Browns’ starting QB competition could very well come down to Flacco or Pickett, but there’s plenty of room for one of the rookies to make a strong push too.
**Related: [5 top offensive positions battles to watch during NFL training camp, predicting winners](https://sportsnaut.com/nfl/nfl-training-camp-position-battles-offense-2025/)**