Browns QB Kenny Pickett Gets Bad News Amid Injury Uncertainty

 
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett is dealing with a hamstring injury.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett is facing an uphill battle to overcome a hamstring injury and stay in contention for the starting job.

Pickett has been sidelined since suffering the injury on July 26, missing multiple practices before returning in a limited capacity. While he’s back on the field, he has yet to participate in team drills as he eases his way through the recovery process.

Pickett was neck-and-neck with 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco to be the Week 1 starter. But the gap is growing by the day with Pickett limited. If he doesn’t return soon — especially this week with joint practices and a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles — he’ll likely be watching from the sideline when the Browns’ kick off the season.

“If (Pickett) is unable to participate in 11-on-11s in the two joint practices against his former team, his chances of landing the starting job will start to fizzle,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said. “Again, if he can make it back soon, he’d still have three weeks or so to catch back up, but he’d be hard-pressed to overtake Flacco, who hasn’t missed a snap. It could come down to picking a style for Week 1 — the mobile Pickett or the explosive Flacco — but Pickett must be full-go sooner than later to fuel the debate. It’s more likely that he’ll have to wait his turn behind Flacco, and hope for a starting opportunity at some point during the season.”

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said, “We’ll see” when asked if Pickett could see more action this week.

 
Browns QB Kenny Pickett Admitted Frustration Over Injury
The Browns traded for Pickett in March and the former first-round pick was eager to get a fresh start in Cleveland. The hamstring injury has been an unfortunate and frustrating setback.

“It’s coming along. Just trying to take it a day at a time,” Pickett said on August 2. “You know, frustrated not being able to be out there competing, but trying to do my best to listen to what the doctors and trainers are saying and trust everything in the process.”

At the urging of the training staff, Pickett is trying to avoid rushing himself back to action to create a larger issue. But it hasn’t been easy.

“I try to plead my case, but everyone has a job to do. They’re looking out for me, and I appreciate that,” Pickett said. “But you’re also fighting the battle to get out there, so it’s tough.”

One of the edges Pickett has over Flacco is his mobility. But he admitted that he’ll have to manage the injury after he returns, which could limit how much he uses his legs.

 
Shedeur Sanders Shaking Up Browns QB Competition
Shedeur Sanders is another factor in the starting quarterback conversation. The rookie put up a strong performance in the Browns’ first preseason game, passing for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

Sanders is a long shot to win the starting job out of the gate. But if he continues to thrive in his preseason opportunities, he could become the first option off the bench.

The Browns are facing pressure to play their rookies. Cleveland selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Sanders in the fifth. The team holds two first-round picks next season and could use that draft capital to select one of the top quarterbacks next season.

However, the Browns need to know what they have in Sanders and Gabriel before choosing to go that route.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote