Kenny Pickett has reportedly taken an early lead in the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback competition for the 2025 NFL season. According to insights from Mary Kay Cabot of Moneyline, Pickett is 'for all intents and purposes, in the lead' over fellow competitors Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel. This information was shared during a Thursday appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.

In the current depth chart, Sanders is positioned as the fourth-team quarterback and reportedly did not receive any 11-on-11 practice reps on Wednesday, as noted by Cabot. The emergence of Pickett as a frontrunner for the starting role comes as a surprise, particularly given that Flacco began the day at the organized team activities (OTAs) taking first-team snaps. Should the Browns prioritize experience for a Week 1 starter, both Pickett and Flacco appear well-positioned compared to their rookie counterparts, Gabriel and Sanders, who were drafted in the third and fifth rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, respectively.

The Browns obtained Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade that involved Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round draft pick on March 12. Formerly, Pickett was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. His tenure with the Steelers was marked by underwhelming performance, completing 62.6% of his passes for 4,474 yards, while recording 13 touchdowns against 13 interceptions over 25 games. After being traded to the Eagles in March 2024, Pickett served as a backup to Jalen Hurts on an Eagles team that clinched victory in Super Bowl LIX. Reflecting on his time in Philadelphia, Pickett remarked, 'I'm extremely grateful for my time in Philly,' emphasizing the lessons learned regarding the standard of excellence in professional football. While Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to delay making a decision regarding the Week 1 starter, reports suggest that Pickett is having a promising start in OTAs.