As preseason and training camp wrap up, NFL front offices and coaching staffs must trim their rosters to the final 53-man limit by August 26.
Most teams carry at most three quarterbacks, but the Cleveland Browns have six, including rookie Shedeur Sanders. With cuts looming, a Browns insider has offered some insight into the rookie’s status with the team.
Browns Insider Provides Update on Shedeur Sanders’ Future in Cleveland
The Browns currently have six quarterbacks on their roster, including Deshaun Watson, who is on the team’s physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from the Achilles tear he initially suffered in 2024.
The roster includes three veterans: Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Tyler Huntley, along with two 2025 rookies, third-round pick Dillon Gabriel and Sanders, who the team selected in the fifth round.
As the cut date approaches, there has been widespread speculation about which quarterbacks the Browns will keep, with many fearing Sanders could be a candidate to be released. However, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter’s report earlier this month, Cleveland plans to keep four quarterbacks, unlike most NFL teams.
Saturday, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot reiterated that the team intends to keep four quarterbacks, confirmed that Sanders is not being cut, and confirmed that Pickett will not be traded.
And no, the #Browns aren’t cutting Shedeur Sanders or trading Kenny Pickett: https://t.co/Ptqm0vzhRT
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 23, 2025
“And no, the Browns aren’t cutting Shedeur Sanders or trading Kenny Pickett,” Cabot reported.
Cleveland’s use of four of its 53 roster spots for quarterbacks is an interesting strategy, and something rarely seen in the NFL. However, it seems apparent that this is how the organization has decided to move forward this season.
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Sanders has performed well throughout training camp and had a strong NFL debut in Week One of the preseason, throwing two touchdowns. Since the team invested a draft pick in him, it makes sense that they are not ready to release him yet.
Shedeur Sanders Touchdown!!!! pic.twitter.com/yaU04n6YtU
— Grant Speaks (@GrantSpeaks1) August 8, 2025
With the Browns keeping four quarterbacks, Flacco as the starter, and Gabriel, Sanders, and Pickett considered safe, the team will likely release journeyman Huntley before the cut deadline.
Having four quarterbacks on the roster gives the Browns flexibility later in the season to potentially trade one to a team in need due to injuries or other reasons, which could provide future draft capital.
With his roster spot secure, Sanders can play freely in Cleveland’s preseason game Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams as he continues to compete for the QB2 spot behind Joe Flacco. The game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
