The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback battle is the biggest story of the NFL offseason, and Shedeur Sanders is fueling the buzz, even while last on the depth chart.
Cleveland just kicked off its mandatory minicamp, and the Colorado product lit it up during his first practice. He followed it up with another strong showing on Day 2.
Shedeur Sanders Continues To Turn Heads at Cleveland Browns’ Minicamp
Heading into the draft, some scouts believed Sanders had No. 1 pick potential. But he slid far down the board, with whispers about poor interviews at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine and other pre-draft slipups swirling around.
The Browns still took a chance on him in the fifth round, even after drafting Dillon Gabriel in the third and acquiring both Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco before the draft. The quarterback room is packed, but Sanders isn’t backing down.
He stood out right away, going 10-of-12 with two touchdowns and no picks during competitive periods on Day 1. Gabriel, by comparison, completed just 38.9% of his throws. And Sanders kept the momentum going on Day 2.
#Browns Shedeur Sanders to Gage Larvadain in team pic.twitter.com/KmXR8Dqr2W
— Fred Greetham (@FredGreetham9) June 11, 2025
Flacco sat out competitive reps on Day 1, but all four quarterbacks took the field on Day 2. Sanders once again posted the best completion percentage of the group — an impressive 88.9% — and continues making his case for a move up the depth chart.
ESPN Cleveland has been charting every open practice and comparing the performances of all four quarterbacks. During OTAs, there was growing chatter that Sanders wasn’t getting the same number of reps as the others.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski shut that down, and Sanders has stayed hot. ESPN Cleveland tweeted the results from Day 2 of minicamp.
Day 2 of Browns minicamp is a wrap. Here’s how all four QBs performed today in 7v7 and 11v11 team drills. pic.twitter.com/y6tAH7xuDe
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 11, 2025
Gabriel tossed two touchdowns but still struggled, hitting just 56% of his passes. Both rookies have one final chance to make an impression before the Browns head into their summer break.
Pickett and Flacco are the most likely contenders for the starting job when training camp rolls around. One of them could be traded or cut before the final roster deadline.
Sanders’ first goal is proving he’s better than Gabriel. And through two practices, he’s done just that. The preseason will give both rookies more chances, and one of them is likely to win the backup job. Right now, Sanders holds the edge — but there’s a long way to go before Week 1.
