VETERAN JOE FLACCO SELECTED AS BROWNS STARTING QB FOR SEASON OPENER AGAINST BENGALS ON SEPT. 7
After four weeks, Joe Flacco has emerged as the winner of the Cleveland Browns’ four-way quarterback competition.
The Browns announced on Monday that Flacco will get the start when the Browns host AFC North rival Cincinnati in the Sept. 7 opener.
Coach Kevin Stefanski indicated over the past week that decision was coming. The Browns were off on Sunday after their 22-13 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles but had a team meeting on Monday.
The 40-year old Flacco beat out Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Deshaun Watson is on the roster, but is expected to miss the season because of injuries.
“I think it is hard when you’re only getting a couple reps here and there because it goes back to you try so hard to be perfect, and then usually you end up hurting yourself a little bit. But the last couple weeks, honestly it’s been pretty good for me,” Flacco said last week about the competition after a practice against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I’ve got to get more reps and get comfortable and feel like I’m doing things at a pretty high level. So, I can’t complain.”
Besides having 191 regular-season starts and going into his 18th season, Flacco was the only quarterback who has not missed time during training camp because of an injury.
This is Flacco’s second stint with the Browns. He won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 as a late-season signing after going 4-1 as a starter and averaging more than 300 passing yards per game as Cleveland made the playoffs for only the third time since its return in 1999.
Flacco has not played in the preseason games, but has seen most of the first-team snaps throughout camp as well as getting plenty of work in joint practices against Carolina and Philadelphia.
Flacco will see action on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams since Stefanski said the preseason finale will serve as a dress rehearsal for the starters.
“He’s the same guy every single day. I think that’s one of the things you admire about Joe is how he approaches his business,” Stefanski said about Flacco during last week’s joint workouts against the Eagles.
“He’s done a really nice job in camp. He’s also done a really nice job just providing leadership to the quarterback room, to the offense, and to the football team.”
Pickett was considered to be Flacco’s main competition, but has been dealing with a hamstring injury. Pickett — a 2022 first-round pick with Pittsburgh — is going into his fourth season after being acquired in an offseason trade with Philadelphia.
Pickett is considered to be more athletic and can make plays on the run, but he has not been a full participant in a practice since July 26.
Gabriel, who missed the preseason opener at Carolina on Aug. 8 because of a hamstring strain, played the first half against the Eagles. In five series, he completed 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards.
Sanders missed the second day of joint practices against the Eagles and did not play in the game after suffering an oblique injury last Wednesday. Sanders got the start against Carolina and completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two TD passes.
Stefanski was optimistic that Pickett or Sanders could possibly return to practice sometime this week.
FALCONS SIGN QB BEN DINUCCI TO REPLACE INJURED EMORY JONES FOR FINAL PRESEASON GAME AT DALLAS
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons signed quarterback Ben DiNucci on Monday to provide depth for Friday’s final preseason game at Dallas.
The Falcons needed help at quarterback after Emory Jones, competing with Easton Stick for the No. 3 job, was hurt in last week’s 23-20 loss to Tennessee. Jones was placed in concussion protocol and waived/injured on Monday.
Coach Raheem Morris said starter Michael Penix Jr. and veteran backup Kirk Cousins will not play against the Cowboys. Stick is expected to start.
The Falcons also released wide receiver DJ Chark on Monday.
DiNucci, a seventh-round draft pick by Dallas in 2020, played in three NFL games, including one start, in his rookie season. He completed 23 of 43 passes for 219 yards. DiNucci participated in Atlanta’s rookie minicamp in May after spending time on Buffalo’s roster in 2024.
DiNucci played a combined five seasons at Pitt (2015-17) and James Madison (2018-19) in his college career.
RAMS QB MATTHEW STAFFORD (BACK) PARTICIPATES IN FIRST PRACTICE
Los Angeles Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford participated in a preseason practice for the first time Monday after dealing with an aggravated disk in his back, multiple outlets reported.
Stafford, 37, was supposed to return to practice last week but continued to experience discomfort and instead spent time in a mobile hyperbaric recovery trailer parked at the team practice facility.
While Stafford still is not expected to participate in the Rams’ final preseason game Saturday against the Cleveland Browns, his return gives him just shy of three weeks to prepare for the team’s regular-season opener Sept. 7 at home against the Houston Texans.
The Rams have gone 2-0 in the preseason primarily with Stetson Bennett IV at quarterback. Bennett, who played the entirety of Saturday’s 23-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, is the team’s No. 3 QB behind Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Stafford completed 65.8 percent of his passes for the Rams in 16 games last season, throwing for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He nearly rallied the Rams to a victory in an NFC divisional-round game against the Philadelphia Eagles, who went on to win the Super Bowl.
In 16 NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions (2009-20) and Rams, Stafford has completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 59,809 yards, 377 TDs and 188 interceptions. The two-time Pro Bowl selection guided the Rams to a Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals following the 2021 season.
PATS SAY WR STEFON DIGGS (ACL) IS ‘AHEAD OF SCHEDULE’
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is “ahead of schedule” in his return from a torn ACL, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said Monday.
Diggs began training camp last month with no restrictions after receiving medical clearance, but he has yet to appear in a preseason game.
“Stefon has done everything we’ve asked,” Wolf said. “He’s been attentive in meetings. He’s been good on the field. He had two really good practices in Minnesota. He’s ahead of schedule, injury-wise.”
Diggs has been cleared for contact, but Wolf did not say whether the four-time Pro Bowl selection will be active for Thursday’s preseason finale against the host New York Giants.
Diggs told reporters last week “we’ll see” when asked about his availability for the Sept. 7 season opener against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders.
Diggs signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract with the Patriots in March.
Playing for the Houston Texans last season, he caught 47 passes in eight games before sustaining the season-ending knee injury on Oct. 27 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Diggs, 31, has 857 career catches for 10,491 yards and 70 touchdowns in 144 regular-season games (136 starts) with the Minnesota Vikings (2015-19), Buffalo Bills (2020-23) and Texans. He also owns 69 receptions for 909 yards and four touchdowns in 14 postseason games.
PACKERS BREAK PROTOCOL TO GIVE JORDAN LOVE REPS DAYS AFTER THUMB SURGERY
Packers quarterback Jordan Love rejoined practice in rainy Green Bay on Monday, days after surgery to repair ligament damage in his left thumb.
In a break from practice norms and against his own preferences, head coach Matt LaFleur used 7-on-7 work and other minor modifications to get the ball in Love’s hands with a goal of getting him ready for Week 1 of the regular season.
LaFleur repeated his personal dislike of partial team scrimmage situations and 7-on-7 drills in explaining how the Packers would work Love back into the mix. Equipment staff also used a short footstool as a perch near the height of a normal received snap, alleviating the pounding a quarterback would take working on traditional snaps behind center or in shotgun formation.
In his only previous practice since being injured on his final play of the Aug. 9 preseason opener against the New York Jets, Love essentially operated one-handed as a passer and on handoffs.
With his surgically repaired thumb heavily bandaged and covered in clear wrap or plastic in the rain on Monday, Love had no limitations when passing the ball.
Malik Willis handled first-team offense duties at quarterback and would be in line to start if Love isn’t cleared for the Sept. 7 opener against the visiting Detroit Lions.
REPORTS: FREE AGENT DE MATTHEW JUDON VISITING DOLPHINS
Four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Matthew Judon is visiting the Miami Dolphins on Monday, multiple outlets reported.
The free agent pass-rusher, who turned 33 on Friday, had 5.5 sacks last season with the Atlanta Falcons.
Judon has recorded 72.0 sacks, 174 quarterback hits and 410 tackles in 131 games (97 starts) with the Baltimore Ravens (2016-20), New England Patriots (2021-23) and Falcons.
A fifth-round draft pick by the Ravens in 2016, Judon was selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2019 to 2022.
Dolphins’ second-year edge rusher Chop Robinson was taken off the field on a cart during Wednesday’s practice, but the 2024 first-round pick later posted on his Instagram account that “I’m good yall nothing serious.”
Robinson posted six sacks as a rookie. He joins Bradley Chubb (11 sacks in 2023 before missing last year due to an ACL rupture) and Jaelen Phillips (23 sacks in 46 games) in the Dolphins’ talented pass-rushing unit. Phillips also is coming off a season-ending ACL injury.
PANTHERS SIGN QB BRYCE PERKINS; TE TYLER MABRY TO IR
The Carolina Panthers signed quarterback Bryce Perkins and placed tight end Tyler Mabry on injured reserve on Monday.
Perkins, 28, adds depth behind starter Bryce Young as veteran Andy Dalton deals with a right elbow injury.
Perkins made his only NFL appearances with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, completing 19 of 34 passes for 161 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in five games (one start). He rushed 19 times for 90 yards.
Perkins played for the United Football League’s Michigan Panthers for the past two seasons and was named the league’s MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 2025.
The Panthers also have second-year pro Jack Plummer, who has completed 16 of 24 passes for 162 yards and two interceptions while appearing in both Carolina exhibitions. The former Louisville quarterback has yet to play in a regular-season game.
Mabry, 28, is out with a hamstring injury. He has one catch for 7 yards in 10 career NFL games with the Seattle Seahawks (2021-22, 2024).
The Panthers wrap up the preseason Thursday at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They open the regular season Sept. 7 at Jacksonville.
JOE BURROW, BENGALS HANDLE COMMANDERS IN PRESEASON ACTION
Joe Burrow led the Bengals on two touchdown drives during the three possessions he played, helping Cincinnati post a 31-17 victory over the Washington Commanders on Monday in Landover, Md.
Burrow (9-for-14, 62 yards) threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Jones early in the second quarter to tie the game 14-14. Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning (16-for-25, 159 yards) then connected with Mitchell Tinsley on scoring tosses of 13 and 21 yards to give the visitors a 28-14 halftime lead.
Tinsley finished with five receptions for 73 yards, while Tahj Brooks gained 47 yards on 11 carries for the Bengals (1-1).
Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels scrambled for a 14-yard touchdown to cap his lone series. After dropping back to pass and spotting no open receivers, he sidestepped defenders at the line of scrimmage, raced up the middle and broke a tackle at the 2-yard line before going in standing up.
Daniels didn’t throw a pass in his first action of the preseason.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran six times for gained 62 yards for the Commanders (0-2). Jacory Croskey-Merritt added 11 carries, 46 yards and a touchdown. Josh Johnson was 6 of 9 for 56 yards, Sam Hartman finished 4 of 10 for 29 yards, and each threw an interception.
