The Cleveland Browns are coming off an important decision heading into the next NFL season, one that could shape the direction of the team. Shedeur Sanders is once again in the headlines, this time after Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski pulled him in favor of Tyler Huntley — who was released on Sunday — during Cleveland’s final preseason game.
Despite the doubts among fans about Stefanski’s decision, Sanders sent a message to supporters on social media. “Thanks everyone for the love and support. There’s a lot to learn from this preseason, but I’m really thankful for the opportunity to be out there. Day by day, rep by rep, I’ll keep learning and getting better.”
Sanders went 3-for-6 with 14 yards in the Browns’ exhibition win over the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. While his preseason numbers were modest, he showed flashes of potential that could justify Cleveland’s choice to keep him on the roster moving forward.
How did Sanders arrive from Colorado?
Sanders threw 37 touchdown passes and completed 74 percent of his throws during his final season at Colorado. Many scouts viewed him as the second-best quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, behind Cam Ward. Still, NFL front offices had a different evaluation, allowing him to slide further than some analysts expected.
Will Sanders play with the Browns this season?
The Browns appear ready to carry four quarterbacks into the 2025 campaign — an unconventional approach considering that many modern NFL teams only keep two or three signal-callers on the active roster.
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Whether Sanders gets the chance to play in his rookie year remains to be seen. It seems unlikely that Joe Flacco will hold the starting job all season, but Sanders will also have to compete with Dillon Gabriel for snaps. Based on what was seen in training camp and the preseason, the Browns appear to be favoring Gabriel, which makes sense given that he was selected earlier in the draft.
The Browns’ final decision
The Browns have made their final call on which quarterback to cut among Shedeur Sanders, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Tyler Huntley. According to a report from Adam Schefter, Stefanski has already communicated the decision to the front office.
“Browns are releasing quarterback Tyler Huntley, per source. Cleveland has been planning to keep its other four QBs (Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders) on its 53-man roster. Odd but true: Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley was the only quarterback on the Browns this summer who has been voted to a Pro Bowl. He now is being released.”
