In Berea’s early spring practices, Shedeur Sanders lagged behind fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel in critical pre-snap duties—calling the huddle, diagnosing defenses, sliding protections, shifting motions, and audibling under pressure. As a result, he was often isolated with backups while seasoned QBs like Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and rookie Gabriel took reps with the starters. Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot observed he “began his NFL career a little behind Gabriel in terms of the pre-snap process.”
Questions arose that the Browns are using Shedeur as a development prospect. And he might not even start in his rookie season. Yet everything changed in the final two weeks. The Colorado Buffaloes product went 41-of-53 with nine touchdowns and just one interception in spring’s closing stretch, posting the highest completion rate in the Browns’ quarterback room. No longer held back by protection calls or pre-snap hesitation, he orchestrated drives with command and clarity.
Which is precisely why, Cabot reported that “Still running with the fourth-team offense, Sanders so impressed the staff with his growing grasp of the pre-snap process during those final two weeks that he kept himself in the mix for the starting job and earned more quality reps in training camp.” After falling to the fifth round in April this year, Shedeur was limited to 7-on-7 drills in the early practice sessions and didn’t participate in full 11-on-11 team reps, unlike the rest of the quarterback room.
However, Cabot believes that with his phenomenal performance in the final couple of weeks in the Browns’ practice sessions, where he overshadowed everyone, Shedeur Sanders is still in the running for the starting role. But it’s not as straightforward as it sounds. The training camp is less than a week away, and Sanders is likely to “get his first reps with the starters, and more work in 11-on-11s,” per Cabot.
Syndication: Akron Beacon Journal Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders 12 heads on to the field during day two of NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. Akron , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJeffxLangex USATSI_26143969
That means late July and early August are crucial for Shedeur. After all, the Browns will conclude their two joint practice sessions against the Eagles on August 13 and 14, followed by the preseason game on August 16. And as Cabot reported, if Shedeur wants a legit shot for the QB1 job, he needs to impress the Browns’ coaching staff that he deserves to be on the field.
“The Browns will tailor the offense to his (Shedeur) strengths and give him a shot,” Cabot continued. “It’s still an uphill battle for either Sanders or Gabriel to start Week 1 against the Bengals, but it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility.” Viewed in full context, Shedeur Sanders now looks to replicate his final two-week performance in the training camp to become the Browns’ QB1—unless Kevin Stefanski has different plans.
Joe Flacco is still holding the veteran edge over Shedeur Sanders
The last few years haven’t been kind to the Browns, and neither for Joe Flacco. Baker Mayfield was the clear starter for the Browns for a few seasons, but after that, everything went south. Deshaun Watson came and left with injuries and $230 million in guarantees rather than making an impact. Meanwhile, Flacco has switched four teams in the last five years. But still, there’s this optimism that Flacco might be the ultimate starting quarterback in week 1.
The reasons seem palpable: he led the Browns to the playoffs a couple of years back, he’s a Super Bowl champ, and he’s been in the NFL since Shedeur Sanders was in Kindergarten. Above all, the folks out there are on board with Flacco the veteran as the Browns’ QB1. And Cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe is one of them. “If the decision were up to me, I’d feel comfortable saying [Flacco] is going to be my starter on Week 1,” he observed earlier this week. Noted.
Because the last time we watched Flacco throwing dimes in Berea, he led the Browns to a 4-1 as a starter, over 1,600 yards in five starts, and 13 touchdown passes. Stefanski sees trust and stability with Flacco under the center. Though Labbe noted that “Then maybe we’ll hand over the keys to maybe Pickett,” but Mary Kay Cabot doubled down with why she sees Flacco as the QB1 over Pickett. “One of the reasons why I would go with Joe Flacco in week one over Pickett is because Pickett is still learning. It’s not automatic and natural for him.”
All things considered, the veterans have a slight edge over the rookies ahead of the 2025 season, which, if we’re being real, is understandable. Rookie will get their opportunity, it’s the Browns QB room we’re talking about here. But as far as Week 1 is concerned, odds are favoring Flacco as the QB1.
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