The Browns open 2025 camp with a 4-way QB battle. Kenny Pickett takes Day 1 reps over Dillon Gabriel & Shedeur Sanders, but a fluid rotation is promised.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
And so it begins. The Cleveland Browns kicked off their 2025 training camp on Thursday, and the storylines that will define their season are already crystal clear. While the familiar sight of players hitting the turf at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus brought a wave of optimism, it was immediately tempered by a potent mix of uncertainty at the game's two most critical offensive positions.
I expect to get to the Super Bowl. That’s our expectation every year. I expect to run back the Defensive Player of the Year.
All eyes were on the quarterbacks, and Kevin Stefanski didn't disappoint, rolling out a genuine four-way competition. On Day 1, it was trade acquisition Kenny Pickett who took all the first-team reps in 11-on-11 drills, giving him the initial nod. He was followed by rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, while veteran Joe Flacco was held out of team drills. However, Stefanski was quick to pour cold water on any snap judgments. He explicitly stated the rotation will be fluid through the first four days of camp before any re-evaluation. 'It will change tomorrow,' Stefanski cautioned. 'So I caution you to read too much into it until we get much later on in the process.' The battle is officially on, but the depth chart is written in pencil, not pen.
The most significant question mark hangs over the running back room. The Browns invested the 36th overall pick in Ohio State star Quinshon Judkins, expecting him to compete for the starting job left vacant by Nick Chubb's departure. However, Judkins' status is unresolved following his July 12 arrest in Florida on a misdemeanor charge of battery and domestic violence. While he was present at camp, his level of participation remains undetermined. Coach Stefanski was understandably guarded, offering only a somber, 'These are things that we take very, very, very seriously... I don’t have much to add on that situation.' With Judkins in limbo, the door is wide open for Jerome Ford and fellow rookie Dylan Sampson to seize a larger role, but the situation casts a serious shadow over the team's offensive plans.
Amidst the offensive uncertainty, there is one constant: Myles Garrett's elite dominance and sky-high expectations. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year made his intentions for 2025 perfectly clear. 'I expect to get to the Super Bowl,' Garrett declared. 'I expect to run back the Defensive Player of the Year.' It's the kind of bold leadership the team needs, especially when faced with an ESPN Bet projected win total of just 4.5. For the Browns to defy the doubters, they'll need Garrett to be every bit the game-wrecker he was last season, and it's clear he's aiming for nothing less.
Day 1 has set the stage. The coming days will be crucial in the quarterback competition, as we see how the reps are distributed between Pickett, Gabriel, Sanders, and Flacco. More importantly, the entire organization and fanbase will be holding their breath for clarity on the Quinshon Judkins situation, a development that could drastically alter the trajectory of the offense. The pads aren't on yet, but the battles in Berea have already begun.
