For the Browns, making Joe Flacco the starter was the easiest quarterback decision they’ll make. In a week, it gets more challenging.

On Tuesday, August 26, the rosters cut from 90 to 53. The Browns will have to decide whether to devote a fourth spot to a quarterback, at the expense of the other positions.

At a time when many think the Browns are committed to keeping four, a recent comment from coach Kevin Stefanski to reporters suggests otherwise. Or, at a minimum, Stefanski makes clear that it won’t be an easy decision.

Here was the question: “[G.M.] Andrew [Berry] did mention earlier in camp that keeping four is something you guys will consider. Is that something you think is still on the menu to support despite how some of these injuries have sort of played out and derailed some of the evaluation?

“I think we’ll let it play out as we get closer to the cut down,” Stefanski replied. “Those are all conversations that we are always having, but those are tough decisions. You know, I’d like to keep everybody, but not realistic.”

If by “everybody” he means Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, AND Tyler Huntley (and Deshaun Watson), no, that’s not realistic. If Stefanski is focusing on the question of whether to keep four quarterbacks, it’s a calculated risk to let one go.

They could potentially play the IR game with one of them, stashing him and delaying the decision on whether to carry four quarterbacks on the active roster. Or they could try to trade one.

Kenny Pickett continues to be the most obvious odd man out. Flacco starts, and the rookies back him up. With multiple teams apparently not thrilled about their current QB2 options, someone (Dallas or Minnesota, for example) may call.

Pickett has a fully-guaranteed salary of $2.623 million in 2025. The Browns sent quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick to the Eagles to get Pickett, early in the offseason.

It felt like a placeholder move. A safety net. A worst-case fallback.

Since then, they brought back fan favorite Joe Flacco and drafted two rookies who may end up showing real promise. If one is going to go, Pickett is the most likely. If they can recoup their pick, and shed his salary, that’s a win. (This season, given the schedule, may not include many.)

The Browns have a week to make their first decision about how many quarterbacks to have on the active roster. For now, it’s not a given that quarterbacks will be taking up four of the 53 spots.