Kenny Pickett appears to have an early advantage in the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback competition for the 2025 season, as noted by Mary Kay Cabot from Moneyline. Cabot indicated during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show that Pickett is, 'for all intents and purposes, in the lead' for the top position on the Browns' depth chart, surpassing contenders Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel.

Currently, Sanders is positioned as the fourth-team quarterback and did not receive any reps during the 11-on-11 drills in a practice session on Wednesday, according to Cabot. The report of Pickett's early lead in the competition is particularly intriguing, especially given that Flacco opened Wednesday's organized team activities by taking first-team snaps. If the Browns are seeking an experienced option for Week 1, both Pickett and Flacco may hold an advantage over their less experienced counterparts, who were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, with Gabriel being taken in the third round and Sanders in the fifth.

Pickett joined the Browns following a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, which involved Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round draft choice on March 12. Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett had a challenging tenure in Pittsburgh, completing 62.6 percent of his passes for a total of 4,474 yards, accumulating 13 touchdowns against 13 interceptions over 25 games. His move to the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024 saw him serve as a backup to Jalen Hurts on a team that ultimately won Super Bowl LIX. Reflecting on his time in Philadelphia, Pickett expressed gratitude, noting the lessons learned from observing the organization. Although Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is not expected to finalize a starting decision for Week 1 in the immediate future, reports suggest that Pickett is off to a promising start in organized team activities.