“Flacco throws the ball in a practice setting better than any of (the other quarterbacks),” per Jackson. His experience under head coach Kevin Stefanski during their 2023 stint also likely bodes well for Flacco’s chances, at least early on, but there’s a good chance we see three or four different quarterbacks take the field for the Browns in 2025, depending on how their season unfolds. Coming off a three-win season, it’s fair to say expectations are far from high for the Browns, who ranked in the bottom five in points scored and points allowed last season and started four different quarterbacks due to poor play and injuries. Shedeur Sanders, who is expected to draw the most hype of any Browns QB in preseason, notably worked fourth in the QB rotation at OTAs.

Rather than dish out even reps to his quarterback room this offseason, Stefanski said the goal will be “to give everybody enough reps where we can learn more about them and prepare them to get ready to play.” While it’s possible things still shake out more evenly than what’s being suggested here, it’s worth pointing out that veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett could find themselves on the shorter end of reps as rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are more likely to be the team’s long-term answer at the position. Stefanski will undoubtedly want to have his entire QB room prepared for the start of the season as he enters the season fresh off an underwhelming 2024 campaign that saw his team go 3-14, but giving two rookies ample reps in camp could bode well for his team’s outlook beyond this season.

Flacco will get a chance to earn “up to” $13 million this year with incentives. Entering his age-40 season, Flacco probably is more of a fallback than an actual plan for the Browns at this point. He started six games for the Colts last year and finished with 1761 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while completing 65.3 percent of his passes. Flacco might have enough in the tank — especially back in Kevin Stefanski’s offense — to beat out Kenny Pickett in training camp if the Browns exit the draft without adding another veteran or highly-drafted rookie.

Flacco joins Russell Wilson in scheduling a visit with the G-Men. Wilson is expected to be in town Friday. Fellow free agent Aaron Rodgers looms over the conversation. Either Flacco or Wilson would likely end up being paired with a rookie. It seems unlikely they would be signed as a Rodgers backup plan, though maybe beggars can’t be choosers at this point.