The Cleveland Browns quarterback battle is arguably the biggest story going on in the NFL, and Shedeur Sanders is driving the media attention despite being fourth on the depth chart.
One local Cleveland radio station has been tracking each of the four competing quarterbacks through the offseason program. Sanders’ brother, Deion Sanders Jr., recently reacted to Shedeur’s performance from his first day of minicamp.
Deion Sanders Jr. Reacts to Shedeur’s Browns Minicamp Performance
Sanders entered the draft as one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in this year’s class. Last season at Colorado, he completed 74 percent of his passes for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns. Additionally, Sander became the all-time FBS career leader in completion percentage at 71.8%.
Heading into the draft, many evaluators viewed Sanders as a possible first overall pick. He was even heavily linked to other teams with selections in the first five picks. However, he fell significantly in the draft, and rumors about poor 2025 NFL Scouting Combine interviews and pre-draft missteps circulated.
Despite taking Dillon Gabriel in the third round and with veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco signed, Cleveland ended Sanders’ long wait and drafted him in the fifth round. A crowded quarterbacks room got even more crowded, but the Browns felt the value at a crucial position was too good to pass up.
in stride and on time ⌚️ @ShedeurSanders pic.twitter.com/1Jb9pBKeGl
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 10, 2025
Since arriving, Sanders has reportedly been a model teammate and has played well in camp. One local radio host even altered his opinion of the quarterback based on how he’s handled himself in Cleveland.
The Browns recently began mandatory minicamp, and the quarterback position has continued to draw the most attention. ESPN Cleveland has been tracking all four of the team’s quarterbacks by charting their performances after each open-to-the-media offseason practice.
There was a narrative that Sanders wasn’t getting the same number of reps as the other quarterbacks during Cleveland’s OTA schedule. Head coach Kevin Stefanski quickly shot that down, and Sanders has gotten off to a hot start in minicamp.
ESPN Cleveland tweeted the most recent results, and his brother, Deion Jr., responded on X.
It’s a beautiful thing https://t.co/dbOiXQ2dGD
— Deion Sanders Jr (@DeionSandersJr) June 10, 2025
Sanders had the best completion percentage (83.3%) of the three QBs who participated in competitive drills. Flacco, 40, practiced but was held out of those situations. Pickett had a decent day, but Gabriel struggled in his first minicamp practice, completing just 38.9% of his passes.
Does Sanders Have a Chance To Move Up Browns QB Depth Chart?
Picket and Flacco are likely to battle for the starting job during training camp, and there’s a high probability one of them is traded or released before final cut day. Pickett was acquired via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Browns brought back Flacco after he spent last year with the Indianapolis Colts.
Sanders’ first goal is to prove that he’s better than Gabriel. The Oregon product was selected 50 picks before Sanders, but many pre-draft projections had Gabriel as a late-Day 3 pick.
The rookies will have their own battle during the preseason, with one of them likely assuming the backup role. Advantage goes to Sanders after the first day of minicamp, but there’s a lot of time between now and the start of the regular season.
