“For me, it’s go out there and just kind of getting your feel back and getting the ball off your hand well, make sure you’re going through your reads the right way. So I feel great with that,” Flacco said. “I feel like I’m getting through things and spinning it well and the other things will come.
“It’s not like I’ve had a million reps, so it’s tough to kind of get in a groove and do those things. But as far as when I’m out there, just kind of getting through everything and just the vision of it all, I felt good, felt comfortable.”
Flacco signed a one-year contract in April and expected to compete with Pickett and one rookie for the starting job. The Browns took Gabriel in the third round and then surprised nearly everyone by trading up in the fifth round to select Sanders.
Ever since Sanders' selection, most of the questions to Stefanski have been about dividing the snaps for his four quarterbacks. Stefanski said throughout OTAs not to read too much into who did what, but his decisions will be scrutinized even more once training camp starts in late July.
“I don’t know what the plan is exactly, but I trust Kevin and that he has a plan for all us and that’s really all I can do,” said Flacco, who's entering his 18th season. “I’d love to go out there and take 120 reps a day and get in a groove and do all those things, but like I said, the coaches have a plan, Kevin has a plan, and my job is to just trust that, go out there and do the best they can.”
Flacco has enjoyed his interactions with Dillon and Sanders.
“I would say I’ve had a smile on my face a good portion of the time I’ve been here this spring, so it’s been a lot of fun,” he said
Flacco remains the favorite to be the Browns' starter when they open the season against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. In 2023, he went 4-1 as Cleveland's starter and averaged more than 300 passing yards per game as the Browns made the playoffs for only the third time since the franchise returned in 1999.
The decision not to re-sign Flacco after that playoff run ended up costing the Browns. They went 3-14 in 2024 and saw high-priced starter Deshaun Watson suffer a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in Week 7. Watson will miss this season after rupturing the tendon again in January, but he has been participating in meetings and rehabbing at the team complex.
Cleveland will wrap up its offseason program early next week. Flacco has been pleased with what has transpired the past two months.
“Every time you take that field, you’ve got to give yourself that reminder like, ‘Oh yeah, this is where I want to be. And man, I can do this. I love doing it,’” he said. “And to go out there against your team and to actually complete some balls and bat balls down and do all the things that everybody’s doing, it just gives you that little reminder like, ‘OK, yeah, we look good. We’re going to compete.’”
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