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Cleveland Browns starting quarterback Joe Flacco may see his first action this weekend as the preseason winds down. The veteran, who just won the starting job, said he expects to take some snaps during the team's preseason finale Aug. 23 against the Los Angeles Rams.

"I do expect to," Flacco said during his press conference. "I think there's a lot of value in preparing yourself to go play a football game and getting your mindset ready for that."

Flacco beat out offseason acquisition Kenny Pickett, 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley . Flacco was the heavy favorite and, according to reports, never really faced competition from the other quarterbacks. 

Getting some playing time before Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals could be beneficial for the offense to begin creating an identity. 

Sanders started the team's first preseason game. An oblique injury sidelined Sanders for the second preseason game and Gabriel, who missed the first game with a hamstring injury, got the start. Pickett also has a hamstring injury. 

This is Flacco's second stint with the Browns, his first was in 2023 when he started five games, going 4-1 and helping lead them to a playoff bid. He finished the 2023 regular season with 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He had a 73.9 completion percentage, 307 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the team's lone playoff game, a loss to the Houston Texans. He returned to Cleveland shortly before the NFL Draft on a one-year, $4 million deal.

Flacco played for the Indianapolis Colts last season, starting six games, going 2-4 in those starts. In eight games, he had 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. 

The Browns will head to M&T Stadium in Week 2 to play the Baltimore Ravens, where Flacco spent 11 seasons and won a Super Bowl MVP award.