Cleveland Browns name veteran QB Joe Flacco Week 1 starter over Shedeur Sanders

The quarterback debate in Cleveland has finally been put to bed.

The Browns confirmed on Monday that Joe Flacco will be the man under center when the regular season kicks off, handing the veteran the starting job as he heads into his 18th NFL campaign.

Flacco will also get the nod in Saturday’s preseason finale at home against the Los Angeles Rams, with head coach Kevin Stefanski describing the matchup as a full-scale dress rehearsal. The Super Bowl-winning QB sat out Cleveland’s first two preseason outings but will now be tasked with leading the offense into Week 1.

Cleveland opens its season with a divisional showdown, welcoming the Cincinnati Bengals to town in what promises to be a fiery start to the year.

Even though Cleveland carried six quarterbacks on the roster this summer, there was never a true battle for the starting role — Joe Flacco held the inside track from day one.

A hamstring issue sidelined Kenny Pickett, effectively ending any real veteran head-to-head. Rookie Shedeur Sanders generated some early buzz in the preseason opener but an oblique setback quickly cooled the hype. Fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel also missed time with a hamstring problem, while Tyler Huntley was brought in simply to eat up practice snaps. Meanwhile, link-placeholder-4 remained stuck on the PUP list.

Through it all, Flacco remained the steady presence and obvious No. 1. He didn’t take the field in preseason action until the finale, but his grip on the job was never in doubt.

The logic behind the choice is clear: Flacco thrived in Kevin Stefanski’s system last season, guiding the Browns into the playoffs. At 40, his arm strength still gives the offense the vertical threat it needs, and his experience ensures he can manage a run-first scheme while keeping the offense in rhythm.

The real test, however, lies in ball security. Flacco tossed eight interceptions across five games in 2023 and seven in six starts with Indianapolis the year before. If he can rein in the turnovers, Cleveland’s Myles Garrett-anchored defense should keep them in every contest — giving the Browns a fighting chance week after week.

The Browns don’t exactly get a soft landing to begin the campaign, with a brutal six-game stretch against Cincinnati, Baltimore, Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh right out of the gate. That gauntlet only reinforced the decision to roll with Joe Flacco as QB1.

Now in his 18th season, Flacco represents Cleveland’s most reliable option to navigate the early storm. Still, he’s no long-term fix for a franchise that’s been spinning through quarterbacks for decades.

If the Browns stumble and losses start piling up, expect Kevin Stefanski to eventually turn to one of the younger arms on the depth chart. After all, the front office needs answers about the future before the inevitable return to the quarterback carousel in 2026.