Ever since the Cleveland Browns made the decision to select Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, analysts and fans have lined up to put their energy behind the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback winning the starting job in Cleveland. While he entered a situation where there is a lot of competition, the competition is wholly unconvincing. That gave fans hope he could pull it off.
He seemed to get off to a great start, showcasing his talent during rookie camp and building strong bonds with his fellow rookies, then making a positive impression once the veterans joined camp. That initial hype has died down; not necessarily because of his performance in practice, but more because the other quarterbacks in the competition are getting more high-value reps than him. Sanders’ main competition appeared to be fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, but now it seems Sanders may be fighting for a roster spot.
It’s unlikely the Browns will keep four quarterbacks on the active roster. That means at least one of Sanders, Gabriel, Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett will be released or traded before the season begins. With Pickett expected to be the starter for Week 1, that means the other three are fighting for two backup jobs. Gabriel split first and second team reps with Pickett when OTAs began.
Joe Flacco splits first team reps with Kenny Pickett, with Shedeur Sanders far behind
Now, Flacco is getting his shot, as it was revealed on Tuesday that the 40-year-old was second up for first team reps during a recent practice.
More concerning is the nugget that Sanders has been “last in line and hasn’t taken any reps with the No. 1 offense”. It’s going to be impossible for Sanders win the starting job if he’s so far down the pecking order. Without practice reps for the coaches to come away impressed, Sanders is in a tough position.
With Sanders getting so few reps, it’s fair to wonder if he’s on the roster bubble. He has operated as the team’s fourth quarterback for all of OTAs, and it’s very unlikely the team can sneak him onto the practice squad to begin the season. One of the four quarterbacks won’t be on the team when the season begins, and it’s looking like that could be Sanders.
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