Before he even joined the Cleveland Browns in the offseason, Kenny Pickett was already lobbying himself for the starting QB position for the team, and it seems that he is definitely keen to lock up that spot heading into the campaign with the hopes of reestablishing himself as one of the best players in the squad.

Competition comes in for him in the form of a veteran star in Joe Flacco – and even possibly a rookie acquisition considering that the Browns are somewhat still in the market at this point in time. Pickett knows that it is natural to compete for a starting spot, and he has high belief that he will be able to ace the spot he deserves so much to prove his worth on the big stage.

After all, this isn’t his first rodeo. The 2022 first-rounder was benched in Pittsburgh and was also skiing behind Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia for a year. Still, being traded to the Browns means a second chance for a depressed quarterback asset. Now with Deshaun Watson expected to be out of the season, it seems that Pickett will likely getting his chance to rise up for the Browns.

A Second Chance at Starting

Browns landed Pickett in a trade with the Eagles in exchange for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick. He understood that this season will be a critical point for his career, and vying for a starting role and giving himself a shot at the biggest stage in one of the most high profile teams in the league.

"I do view myself as a starter," Pickett said of his odds to become the starter in the Browns’ rotation this season. "I'm sure they're going to bring in another veteran and who knows what else, but I'm just excited to be here and compete with whoever. All the quarterback rooms I've been in, each room's been really tight. We all pull for each other. That's really what it's all about: getting better together and making the team better. So definitely prepare for whatever situation that may present itself."

Pickett predicted it right, the Browns brought in Joe Flacco after a one-year hiatus – which means that the veteran star is going to be his competition moving forward. It is worth noting that Pickett was just 10 years old when Flacco began his rookie career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2008, so the old QB has the edge when it comes to experience.

In the 2023 season, Flacco started five regular-season games that campaign, going 4-1 with 1,616 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions while getting them across the finish line to reach the playoffs.

Pickett’s Case

Still, it would not be the same as plugging Flacco in and out and expect to have the same results. Pickett has gone 7-5 in his two seasons when he started for Pittsburgh, and while he’s failed to show consistent offense, the QB will be surely bringing all of his high level of play in order to prove that he has a strong case when it comes to showing up on big games.

Watson’s injury was unfortunate, and it is also safe to say that Cleveland will definitely have to make the right decisions in finding a promising QB who could start all the way and deliver impressive performances.

After all, they took a big swing in trusting two QBs this season, and it is definitely going to be a hit or miss scenario for them moving forward.