The Cleveland Browns are currently auditioning four different quarterbacks for their starting role this season, if you don't also count injured QB Deshaun Watson among the bunch: AFC North veteran Kenny Pickett, league mainstay Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. As a result, the palace intrigue surrounding the Browns is perhaps higher than it has ever been before.
Will the front office give Pickett, entering only his fourth year in the league, another chance to make his mark? Or will they opt to hand a battle-tested Flacco the honor? They could go the splashy route and let Sanders run things out on the gridiron, despite his youth. Or they could shock us all and go with Gabriel, who has been grinding out in his fellow rookie's shadow the last few weeks.
Well, although you certainly wouldn't get this out of anyone on the team publicly, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot estimated last week that, heading into OTAs, Pickett was the "front-runner" for the position.
On Wednesday, head coach Kevin Stefanski gave a quote regarding Pickett's performance that could be seen as a boon to Cabot's thoughts.
"I'm really excited about what Kenny brings to the team," Stefanski told reporters. "He's a guy that works extremely hard at his craft. I love the way he thinks about the game. He's very, very tough. He's doing a nice job. As you can imagine, with quarterbacks or any position, we're throwing a lot at these guys, and I think he's handling it really well."
Now, it's worth remembering that Stefanski isn't going to bash a player publicly, either. So, although he is sharing such praise for Pickett, that does not immediately translate to him getting the starting role. It's simply worth noting that the front office thinks the former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is doing a good job so far.
Meanwhile, Stefanski was similarly complimentary of Sanders last week.
"Shedeur, like all those guys, he’s in there early. He’s getting his work done. He’s working really, really hard," the coach said. "I like everything there is about Shedeur.“
In the end, anything can happen, and there is plenty of offseason left for the balance of power to shift. But as we all watch that process unfold from afar, Pickett might be the one worth keeping an eye on for now.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated