There’s quarterback chaos – and then there’s whatever is brewing in Berea. Since 1999, the Browns have trotted out 40 different starting quarterbacks. That’s more than any team in the league. Quarterback stability isn’t a concept here. It’s a myth. And with Deshaun Watson on the PUP list to start camp, Cleveland’s annual audition has kicked off again – this time with five names in the room, including a Hall of Famer, two veterans, and two rookies caught in the middle of a football experiment that’s already gotten weird. But even by Browns standards, what’s happening with Shedeur Sanders is next-level odd.
He came in as one of the most polished college quarterbacks in the 2025 draft. But in Cleveland, he wasn’t even picked to throw to receivers. That’s not sarcasm; that’s reality. According to ESPN Cleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer, Sanders spent time in practice throwing to equipment guys. “Shedeur Sanders apparently is throwing not to receivers but to equipment guys. They’ve got equipment guys like Jugg snapping him the ball and then also running the routes,” Goldhammer said on air. “I don’t know, Mahomes is throwing to Kelce. Shedeur is throwing to equipment guys.” This wasn’t just a one-off humiliation. It was a public reminder of where Sanders stands in the pecking order.
Spencer German from Locked On Browns laid it out in clear terms – Stefanski is sticking to the same drill script as minicamp. During 11-on-11s, the first team runs with Kenny Pickett. The second team is handed to Dillon Gabriel. The third? That’s where Sanders has been stuck, working in the shadows while Joe Flacco-yes, 40-year-old Flacco-stands on the sideline as a respected veteran. This isn’t rotation. It’s segregation by trust.
To his credit, Shedeur isn’t cracking. “It doesn’t really faze me, you gotta understand we came all the way from HBCU to Power 5 and now we’re here,” he said when asked about the situation, throwing it to the equipment guys. “So at this point, if you look around, there’s nothing that’s a challenge, I would say.” That’s the kind of quote that shows humility and acceptance. Because when everyone else is competing, and you’re out there treating trainers like tight ends, it’s hard to pretend this is a fair fight.
“Shedeur Sanders is throwing, apparently, not to receivers, but to equipment guys,” – @HammerNation19.
How are you feeling about the Browns two days into training camp? pic.twitter.com/wuPiXNUCeS
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 25, 2025
And the reality hit harder because no one had to spell it out. The reps did the talking. Gabriel’s getting a legitimate chance. Sanders, at least for now, is not. Stefanski tried to play it cool when asked about the order, saying, “I know it will get reported on who’s in there first…It will change tomorrow. So I caution you to read too much into it until we get much later on in the process.” But when the guy you drafted in the fifth round is stuck feeding passes to staffers while your third-rounder gets actual design installs, the writing’s on the whiteboard.
The numbers aren’t helping his case either. Through two days of training camp, Sanders is 7-of-12 with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Day 1 was rough; 3-for-8. Day 2 was perfect in terms of completion, 4-for-4, but short on impact. Compare that to Gabriel: 13-of-15, 2 TDs, and a bootleg throw that had reporters buzzing. Joe Flacco? He looked shaky at 4-for-10 on Day 2, but even he’s sitting above Sanders on the depth chart. “We’re actually going to utter the name Dillon Gabriel more than we will the name Shedeur Sanders,” Goldhammer said. And with each passing snap, that’s looking less like speculation and more like a spoiler.
Shedeur Sanders fades further in Browns’ quarterback race, but Dillon Gabriel goes deep
Gabriel wasn’t drafted to take over. He was drafted to develop. But someone forgot to give him the memo. From Day 1, the Oregon product has looked like a guy who came ready. The throw of camp so far? That belongs to Gabriel – a deep shot off a play-action bootleg that could be described as NFL-caliber. The timing, disguise, and delivery. It wasn’t just good – it was clean. Like he’s already been in Stefanski’s system for a year.
And in a room full of quarterbacks trying to find footing, Gabriel’s poise has cut through the noise. Kenny Pickett might be getting first-team reps, but even he tossed an interception on Day 2. Flacco brings name recognition, but he’s a stopgap. Gabriel’s showing more than just arm strength. He’s showing control – something most rookies can’t fake. Even Tony Grossi chimed in, saying, “They are intrigued by Dillon Gabriel. They think from the neck up he is a No. 1 pick, from the neck up.”
That’s not good news for the Sanders camp. The Browns have five quarterbacks in play – but only three who seem truly viable. And if Gabriel keeps stacking days like this, Cleveland won’t just have a depth chart. They’ll have a decision. A rookie QB battle wasn’t supposed to be the headline. But here we are. Welcome to the Browns. Where QB dreams come to die… or throw to equipment guys.
The post Shedeur Sanders Forced to Accept Kevin Stefanski’s Harsh Decision as Dillon Gabriel Takes Clear Edge in Browns QB Battle appeared first on EssentiallySports.