The Cleveland Browns have had a four-man quarterback competition ongoing during training camp. At this point, there is no telling who will be their starting quarterback when Week 1 arrives.
Joe Flacco seems to be leading the competition right now. Kenny Pickett has been viewed as the No. 2 contender for the job. Both Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are also working to earn playing time in their rookie seasons.
Unfortunately for Pickett, he suffered a hamstring injury that has forced him off the field.
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Losing time on the field at this stage is a big blow for Pickett. He’s looking to reignite his NFL career after falling flat with the Pittsburgh Steelers and taking one year as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Despite being on the sideline with the injury, Pickett spoke out with a strong message.
“If you’re not out there, I think it’s a setback,” Pickett said. “You know, you have to be out there playing and competing to win a job. And I fully understand that. That’s why I’m pushing to get back, you know, as fast as possible.”
He also opened up about the injury and how he’s doing as he looks to return to the field as soon as possible.
“Yeah, 100% it is. I’m trying to get back out there, you know, as fast as possible,” Pickett said. “I’ve never had, you know, a soft tissue injury like this, so really a first-time experience in my career, I felt like I came in great shape, was hitting numbers speed wise that I’ve never hit before. So, it’s frustrating that it happened but you know, turn the page and just trying to be, you know, as good as I can be when I do return.”
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Throughout his three-year NFL career thus far, Pickett has played in 30 total games. He has completed 62.4 percent of his pass attempts for 4,765 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, while also running for 306 yards and five touchdowns.
It will be interesting to see if Pickett is able to make a push for the starting job after he returns from the hamstring issue. Shedeur Sanders has also been dealing with shoulder soreness, leaving Flacco and Gabriel as the only two full healthy players in the competition.
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