The Cleveland Browns are dealing with multiple quarterbacks battling right now for the chance to start for the team. One of them is polarizing rookie Shedeur Sanders, who suffered a setback late last week. Now, it seems like Sanders is ready to get back in the mix.
Sanders missed Saturday’s team drills due to arm soreness. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Sanders is expected to be a full participant on Monday’s training session.
The fifth-round rookie has taken most of his reps with the reserves on offense. It’s safe to say that, on that quarterback battle, Sanders has missed a step. Kenny Pickett has also missed action due to a hamstring issue. The tough pill to swallow for Sanders is that, in Pickett’s absence, Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel have been taking QB1 snaps with the Browns starters.
Sanders is relegated, but he is the only different quarterback
Stefanski has pretty much worked with one type of quarterback in his life: pocket passers. He made his name as an offensive coordinator in Minnesota, where his quarterback was Kirk Cousins. In Cleveland, Baker Mayfield, a post-prime Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco… Not precisely dual-threat quarterbacks.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns watches a drill during Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025 in Berea, Ohio.
Sanders’ stats would indicate he is also a pocket passer, but his athleticism might make him hold the ball too long and trust himself more in buying time. That opposes to Flacco, Pickett and Gabriel, who are faster on their release time and their progressions.
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Sanders has the biggest uphill battle of them all
Being the one with no first-team reps is critical on the quarterback battle. It clearly seems like the quarterback battle is now leaning to three names rather than four. All the other three are taking reps with the starters, which means Shedeur is the last on the depth chart.
It’s been reported that Joe Flacco will be the starter and Kenny Pickett would serve as the first backup. Dillon Gabriel will surge as the third quarterback if he wins the rookie battle too.
