After Kenny Pickett went down with an injury, the Cleveland Browns head coach, Kevin Stefanski, has to distribute his practice snap count between the other three quarterbacks battling for the starting spot. It was veteran Joe Flacco the one who got the most of them, sending a clear message to rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Pickett is dealing with a harmstring injured, however, it seems like there is no big concern as he should be back soon. In the meantime, Stefanski stated that Flacco will have the most first-team practice reps.
Gabriel had some reps with the first offense, but Shedeur is dealing mostly with the reserves. This all points to the fact that Stefanski might be putting the depth chart in order. Flacco would start, Pickett will be the first backup, then Gabriel, and lastly, Sanders.
“I think it’s really dependent on the period, what we’re trying to accomplish in that period,” Stefanski said of Gabriel and Sanders’ snap count, via Pro Football Talk. “Just moving these guys around, giving them some more exposure.”
Flacco is still very capable despite his age
An NFL player since 2008, the 40-year old veteran has seen it all in this league. A Super Bowl winner with the Ravens, Flacco is far removed from his prime, but he is still a very good quarterback. Last year, he played in eight games for the Colts, starting six of them. He had a 2-4 record, but averaged a 65.3% passing completion, 220 yards per game and threw for 12 touchdowns to 7 interceptions.
Joe Flacco #15 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Houston, Texas.
Flacco’s ability to read defenses and the fact that he still has a very strong arm are what allows him to beat average signal-callers on the roster. His mileage is what sets him apart, despite not being mobile or speedy. Because he knows how to read defenses, he goes through his progressions really fast and that allows him to move the chains.
see also
Browns receive major update on one of Shedeur Sanders’ key weapons
Flacco knows the Browns system
Flacco already played under Stefanski in 2023. He played five games and went 4-1 while winning the Comeback Player of the Year in the process. He actually helped the Browns go to the playoffs as they ended with an 11-6 record.
In that span, he surpassed 300 yards in four of those games. He had a 90.2 passer rate too. Therefore, it’s safe to say he did pretty good in Stefanski’s offense. Now, he has new weapons that were not in 2023 like Jerry Jeudy and Diontae Johnson, but you can argue those are upgrades.
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