Browns' Stefanski Updates Timeline for Naming QB1 amid Flacco, Shedeur, Pickett Battle

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski remained noncommittal about naming a starting quarterback but said a final decision should come "sooner than later."

The coach told reporters Sunday he wants to convey the news to the team within "the next couple days."

"I want to get through the next couple days but that’s something that we’re gonna do here sooner than later," Stefanski said. "...I need to get the football team in here, talk to the players … we're working towards Week 1. That's part of what this week is about, getting our football team ready. So, we'll make all those determinations in the next couple days."

With two preseason games in the books, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday the Browns "do not have a lot of clarity" about their ongoing QB battle. The NFL insider did, however, say that Joe Flacco continues to be the favorite to win the starting job.

In general, there isn't a ton of drama about the QB1 in Cleveland since Flacco has been the favorite from the outset.

Far more interesting is who backs up the 40-year-old and how many quarterbacks the Browns keep on the active roster. Fowler reported the team is "open" to retaining all of Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

The problem for Stefanski and his coaching staff is that none of the three has separated himself from the rest.

A hamstring injury has sidelined Pickett for Cleveland's first two preseason clashes, while Gabriel and Sanders each missed one game apiece. When the two rookies did play, they did well without necessarily excelling.

Sanders went 14-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers, and Gabriel finished 13-of-18 for 143 yards and one interception.

Purely in terms of the numbers, Sanders had a better outing, but you have to balance that against him being behind Gabriel, who was taken two rounds ahead of him, in the tentative depth chart when the offseason kicked into gear.

The Browns are making the most of the attention everyone is paying to their quarterback situation. They released the first part of their "Man Under Center" series on Friday.

Stefanski will eventually have to bring some resolution to the matter.