With training camp in full swing at the Dawg Pound, all eyes are on Cleveland’s quarterback room—and Shedeur Sanders knows exactly where he stands. The rookie out of Colorado is getting his feet wet, taking reps and soaking in every snap. But when it comes to working with the Browns’ first-team offense? That’s not happening just yet. Still, Sanders isn’t throwing a fit. If anything, he’s taking the long road in stride, quietly doing his job and keeping his eyes on the bigger picture.
Sanders is one of four arms vying for Kevin Stefanski’s attention, joined by Super Bowl champ Joe Flacco, ex-Steelers QB Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. While Flacco and Pickett are hogging most of the first-team snaps, Sanders finally got a look with the second unit—his first since camp began. And he made the most of it. His completion percentage was the highest of the bunch, even though that stat comes with all the usual disclaimers—depth chart, defensive pressure, and practice structure.
Notably, his poise isn’t just talked—it’s in the little moments too. Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot shared a telling scene: while LB Jerome Baker was holding court at the podium, Shedeur Sanders quietly told PR he wouldn’t speak until Baker finished. “Cool move,” she wrote. A small gesture, but a big statement about the rookie’s maturity.
Shedeur Sanders’ snapshot: LB Jerome Baker was talking at a podium. Reporters started to head to the other podium when they saw Sanders. Very quietly, Sanders told PR he wouldn’t talk until Baker was done. Cool move.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) July 25, 2025
But when asked about his lack of first-team reps, he kept it chill. “That’s not my place to answer,” he said via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. “I feel like it’s not in my control, so I’m not even gonna think about that or have that even in my thought process.” Instead, he leaned into humility, “There’s a lot of people that wanna have the opportunity to be at this level, and I’m here, and I’m thankful to have the opportunity, so, whatever that is it is.” That attitude is a far cry from the high-profile persona that had teams second-guessing him during the draft.
Now, with a quarterback room as unpredictable as Cleveland’s, the battle’s only heating up. But right now, the question is who’s in the lead for the Browns’ starting QB job?
As Shedeur fades in the pack, one rookie is quietly climbing the ladder
Nobody in the Dawg Pound expected Dillon Gabriel to push for reps this soon. Drafted as a developmental guy, the Oregon standout clearly missed that memo. From the first whistle of camp, Gabriel looked ready—really ready. He’s already delivered the throw of training camp: a deep play-action bomb that had NFL timing, disguise, and precision. Clean execution from a rookie? That’s rare. But Gabriel’s making it look like he’s already been living in Stefanski’s playbook.
Then again, it’s not just the arm that’s turning heads. While Kenny Pickett continues to log first-team snaps—and toss Day 2 picks—Gabriel’s calm has been the real headline. Even with Joe Flacco’s resume in the room, Gabriel’s showing a different gear. As Cleveland insider Tony Grossi put it, “They are intrigued by Dillon Gabriel. They think from the neck up he is a No. 1 pick, from the neck up.”
Naturally, this isn’t great news for Shedeur Sanders. The Browns’ crowded quarterback room is starting to sort itself out, and Gabriel is quietly pulling ahead. If he keeps stacking good days, it won’t just be about depth—it’ll be about making a call. And Kevin Stefanski? Ah, the coach is snubbing Sanders for a while by not giving him any first-team reps on Friday, though he did get some snaps with the second team for the first time in training camp.
So, yeah, the final call may come sooner than expected. Head coach Kevin Stefanski admitted, “I think the big thing for me is putting our guys into position where we can evaluate them. I think they did a great job in the spring—all four of those guys. We’ll continue to put them in some situations,” Stefanski recently said. “But ultimately, we’d like to make a decision sooner than later.” So stay tuned, Dawg Pound—this QB race is just getting interesting.
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