Shedeur Sanders may have entered the league as a fifth-round pick, but that hasn’t stopped the Cleveland Browns from paying close attention to the rookie’s development.
During OTAs and minicamp, Sanders turned heads with his arm strength and pocket poise, even as he remained buried on the depth chart. While Joe Flacco remains the presumed Week 1 starter, the Browns’ coaching staff is leaving the door open for competition.
There’s no quarterback controversy yet, but the buzz around Sanders in Berea isn’t dwindling.
Shedeur Sanders Gains Ground in Cleveland Browns’ QB Picture With Strong Offseason Showing
One NFL insider’s insight has confirmed what many suspected: The Browns are quietly encouraged by what they’ve seen from Sanders.
Speaking on the team’s four-man quarterback room, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler shared, “This is fascinating because I was told Kevin Stefanski’s plan for his four quarterbacks at OTAs and minicamp was to try to get a lot of different guys different touches in different situations, and they all really answered the bell — including Shedeur Sanders.
“He showed the ability to put the ball in some tight windows, he threw with aggressiveness, took some chances. So, they like where he sits.”
The prevalent rookie made the most of his limited reps, showcasing a willingness to push the ball into tight windows and taking calculated risks downfield. It’s a contrast to the more measured approach coaches are testing with former Pittsburgh Steelers starter Kenny Pickett and rookie Dillon Gabriel, both of whom are being thrown into more advanced schematic situations.
Sanders, however, is being brought along at a different pace, but that doesn’t mean he’s being overlooked.
Mandatory minicamp ended on June 12, and the Browns return to organized team workouts in the final phase of pre-training camp workouts. Training camp dates have yet to be announced, but they typically start in late July.
OTAs and minicamp gave Stefanski a glimpse of where each of the four quarterbacks stands, which he can take into training camp — the most critical phase of the offseason.
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According to Fowler, Stefanski will likely enter that training camp with a clearer sense of where each signal-caller fits: “Now Stefanski has to formulate a plan in training camp that’s probably a little more crystalized, maybe has a little bit of a depth chart to it. They are not there yet. But Sanders has made an impression, there’s no doubt.”
Still, as of now, Sanders has yet to take any first-team reps, unlike Pickett and Gabriel. During the Browns’ mandatory minicamp, those two received more exposure to complex offensive concepts, suggesting the staff views them as closer to being ready for live game action. Sanders, meanwhile, is still gaining his footing.
According to Zac Jackson, Browns insider for The Athletic, Gabriel took several first-team reps during minicamp.
That said, expectations for Sanders remain high. Despite being drafted on Day 3, he was viewed by some evaluators as the second-most talented quarterback in the 2025 class. The Browns appear content with letting him develop behind the scenes for now, but if his current trajectory continues, it may not be long before Sanders forces a re-evaluation of Cleveland’s quarterback hierarchy.