The Cleveland Browns officially confirmed this Thursday that they have signed quarterback Bailey Zappe to their practice squad. As expected, the decision has sparked renewed debate on social media about what this means for Shedeur Sanders.
Just a few days ago, the Browns announced that Sanders had made the final 53-man roster alongside Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel. However, in a decision that surprised the entire NFL, Pickett was later traded to the Raiders. For Shedeurâs fans, this seemed to indicate full confidence in him heading into the 2025 season.
However, the arrival of Zappe has turned things upside down again. Kevin Stefanski has brought back a player who was in Cleveland in 2024 and has more experience than two rookies like Gabriel and Shedeur. Given this situation, itâs possible that for Week 1 against Joe Burrow and the Bengals, Bailey could end up winning the race to become the emergency QB3, which would leave Shedeur inactive for that game.
Is Shedeur Sanders getting traded?
No. Shedeur Sanders will not be traded by the Browns, but the debate is ongoing due to two very different viewpoints within the organization. It has been speculated that the team owner, Jimmy Haslam, had a significant influence on the decision to recruit the Colorado rookie in the fifth round of the 2025 Draft.
In fact, head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry were more satisfied with another rookie, Dillon Gabriel, which is why they recruited him ahead of Shedeur. A clear sign of this is that Gabriel, a former star at Oregon, has been officially named the backup quarterback.
see also
NFL News: Shedeur Sanders sends clear message to Browns after Cleveland decided to not cut him from final roster
Who did the Cleveland Browns just sign?
The Cleveland Browns signed quarterback Bailey Zappe to their practice squad, along with five other players: Logan Brown (T), Malachi Corley (WR), Garrett Dellinger (G), Cole Strange (G), and Edefuan Ulofoshio (LB).
see also
NFL News: Browns have made final roster decision between Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel for backup quarterback spot
