Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Never considered in Week 6 loss
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Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski never considered replacing starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel with Sanders during Sunday's 23-9 loss to the Steelers in Week 6, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
The Browns were unable to create much offensively, but that did not fall solely on Gabriel, who was sacked six times and absorbed another 16 hits. Injuries along the offensive line also limited the rushing attack, and Cleveland's pass-catchers dropped multiple passes. It's unlikely Sanders could have changed the trajectory of the game, but Stefanski could only list the things to fix on a broken offense (13.67 ppg) with no easy solution. The organization will still likely need to see what it has in Sanders before entering the offseason, but Gabriel appears set for a long look in the starting role before that happens.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Named backup for Week 6
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Head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Friday that Sanders will back up Dillon Gabriel against the Steelers on Sunday, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Sanders will take on the top backup role after the Browns traded Joe Flacco to the Bengals on Tuesday. Cleveland will go with a pair of rookies as options under center on their game-day roster while Bailey Zappe remains on the practice squad. Sanders has yet to throw a regular-season pass in the NFL but could get an opportunity if Gabriel struggles or gets hurt.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Still expected to play in 2025
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Sanders (coach's decision), who is inactive as the Browns' emergency third quarterback for Sunday's game against the Vikings in London, is expected to play at some point during his rookie season once the coaching staff deems him ready, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Though Cleveland has elected to bench Joe Flacco after he led the team to a 1-3 start through the first four weeks of the season, Flacco will suit up as the No. 2 quarterback ahead of Sanders while the Browns turn to rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel to make his first NFL start. Gabriel had been serving as Flacco's top backup in each of the previous four contests, and the 24-year-old has already made a strong impression on the coaching staff in practices and in two spot appearances late in blowouts due to his ability to get the ball out quickly and process the defense. That being said, the 5-foot-11 Gabriel's lack of ideal size and physical tools could work against him in his development as an NFL-level starter, so if he's unable to find much success in his first few extended appearances, the Browns could eventually turn the offense over to Sanders. Rapoport notes that because the Browns designed their Week 5 game plan with Gabriel's aptitude as a runner in mind, Cleveland was reluctant to appoint Sanders to the No. 2 role right away as part of a game plan that wouldn't be tailored to his strengths. Ideally, if and when the Browns decide to have Sanders play, he'll get a full week of practice with the first-team offense in advance and will have a game plan built specifically for his skill set.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Designated as emergency QB
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Sanders (coach's decision) is inactive but designated as the emergency third quarterback for Sunday's game against the Bengals, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
This move comes as little surprise, as coach Kevin Stefanski made clear that Sanders would begin the season third on the quarterback depth chart. Dillon Gabriel will serve as Joe Flacco's backup in Week 1.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Beginning season as No. 3 option
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Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that Dillon Gabriel will work as the top backup to Joe Flacco to begin the regular season, leaving Sanders in the No. 3 role, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
It's still conceivable that both rookie signal-callers get chances under center at some point during what could be a rebuilding campaign for Cleveland. The team traded Kenny Pickett (hamstring) to the Raiders on Monday and cut Tyler Huntley on Sunday, leaving Sanders and Gabriel without further competition as depth options.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Poor showing in preseason finale
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Sanders completed three of six passes for 14 yards in Saturday's 19-17 preseason win over the Rams.
The 2025 fifth-round pick was the third quarterback into the game for the Browns behind Week 1 starter Joe Flacco and 2025 third-round selection Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders did little to shake up the depth chart, as he took five sacks on five drives while playing most of the second half. Kenny Pickett (hamstring) is still in the mix as well for slotting behind Flacco, but Gabriel appears to be firmly ahead of Sanders if there's room for only one rookie QB on the roster.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: On track to play Saturday
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Sanders is slated to play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Rams, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Per Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, starter Joe Flacco should see around 25-to-30 snaps and then will be followed by Dillon Gabriel and Sanders, in that order. Meanwhile, Kenny Pickett (hamstring) is not in line to play this weekend. Now that Flacco has been named the Browns' Week 1 starter, the focus turns to the depth chart pecking order behind him as next week's roster cut downs approach.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Not practicing Tuesday
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Sanders (oblique) isn't practicing but could return for Wednesday's session, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Sanders remains day-to-day after missing Cleveland's second preseason game due to an oblique injury, and his status remains uncertain for Saturday's exhibition finale against the Rams. In the wake of Joe Flacco being named the Browns' starter for Week 1, Stefanski said he's still not ready to name a No. 2 quarterback and that "these roles are not given out, they're earned," per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com. As such, Saturday's preseason game looks like a crucial opportunity for both Sanders and Kenny Pickett (hamstring) to get back on the practice field and compete with rookie third-rounder Dillon Gabriel for the backup gig. Veteran journeyman Tyler Huntley could also get some reps Saturday, though he has no clear path to the 53-man roster.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Day-to-day, unlikely for Saturday
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Sanders (oblique) is considered day-to-day due to an oblique strain suffered during Wednesday's practice and is not expected to suit up for Saturday's preseason game against the Eagles, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Sanders won't practice Thursday, and while it appears he won't be available Saturday versus Philadelphia, he could still have a chance to gain clearance in time for Cleveland's preseason finale against the Rams on Saturday, Aug. 23. With the 2025 fifth-rounder and veteran Kenny Pickett (hamstring) both trending in the wrong direction due to injury, and veteran Joe Flacco expected to rest, rookie third-round quarterback Dillon Gabriel could get a chance to start and handle expanded reps during Saturday's exhibition matchup.
Sanders will start Friday's preseason opener against Carolina, as Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel both have hamstring injuries, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
With multiple injuries in the QB room, the Browns signed Tyler Huntley on Monday to give them a third healthy body in camp. They apparently don't want to play Joe Flacco in the preseason opener, although coach Kevin Stefanski said some starters will play, and will instead let Sanders and Huntley handle reps under center. Huntley spent time with the Browns last year, so he could be more comfortable with the playbook than Sanders is. Prior to the Pickett and Gabriel injuries, there hadn't been any whispers out of Cleveland training camp of Sanders climbing the depth chart or otherwise making a strong impression. The fifth-round pick figures to get a lot of reps with the second-string offense in practice, after working with depth players for the first two weeks of camp.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Set to practice fully
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Sanders (arm) is slated to practice fully Monday, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Sanders was held out of team drills Saturday because of arm soreness, but the rookie signal-caller's ability to work fully Monday indicates that he's quickly moved past the issue. For now, Sanders slots in behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett (hamstring) and Dillon Gabriel in the Browns' ongoing QB competition.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Dealing with arm soreness
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Sanders did not participate in team drills during Saturday's training camp practice due to arm soreness, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
With Sanders and Kenny Pickett (hamstring) both sidelined during team drills, it was Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel who split those reps Saturday. Sanders was spotted in sprinting drills with teammates at the end of Saturday's practice, and with the Browns off Sunday, the rookie fourth-rounder could be back on the field for Monday's session.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Faces top defensive unit Wednesday
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While working with the second-team offense, Sanders went up against the Browns' top defensive squad during Wednesday's practice, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
With Kenny Pickett sidelined indefinitely with a hamstring injury, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Sanders have been handling the team's QB snaps in practice. For now, Flacco continues to see most of the first-team reps in Pickett's absence, while Gabriel has occasionally sprinkled in with the top unit. Sanders has yet to work with the starting offense thus far.
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders: Last QB to get reps
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Sanders has been the fourth quarterback to get reps during mandatory minicamp, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Coach Kevin Stefanski has said not to read into the order in which quarterbacks are getting reps, and the team has used seniority to organize its signal callers to this point. That lands Sanders last in line, as Dillon Gabriel was selected ahead of him in the 2025 NFL Draft. Jackson did note that Sanders has looked decisive and has delivered the ball quickly and confidently.
