Who Should I Start? Trey Lance or Kenny Pickett

Tuesday, July 29, 8:46 PM

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance will start the preseason-opening Hall of Fame Game against the Detroit Lions on Thursday, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced. The plan is for Lance to play at least one half before undrafted rookie DJ Uiagalelei takes over. Starter Justin Herbert will sit out, and veteran Taylor Heinicke will serve as the Chargers' emergency third quarterback. Lance joined the Chargers in free agency after unsuccessful runs with the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. Since entering the league as the third overall pick from North Dakota State in 2021, the 25-year-old has appeared in just 12 games and completed 56.6% of his passes with five touchdowns and four interceptions.

Monday, July 28, 2:59 PM

Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett (hamstring) left the team's Saturday practice with a hamstring injury, and head coach Kevin Stefanski would not disclose the severity of the injury when meeting with the media on Monday. Stefanski reportedly said that Joe Flacco will handle the majority of first-team reps for the team in the immediate future, according to Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand. Pickett is in a competition with Flacco and rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders for the starting job in Cleveland, but this injury threatens to set him back. In five games (one start) for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, Pickett completed 59.5% of his passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. A former first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, Pickett may be getting his last chance to prove himself as a starter with Cleveland. He'll need a quick recovery to beat out Flacco for the job heading into the regular season.