No player in Cleveland‘s dizzying quarterback room is under the microscope quite like Shedeur Sanders. He had a solid spring, was efficient in team drills, handled his work well, and that’s earned him a closer look. He may have led all Browns quarterbacks in spring work, completing 77.4% of his throws with nine touchdowns, but Kevin Stefanski isn’t biting the bait.
“Let’s not look too much into who’s out there when… we’re in installation phase, we’re in teaching phase,” the Browns head coach had said. Behind the curtain, Joe Flacco, now 40, is still anchoring the first-team reps in 11-on-11s. Kenny Pickett and rookie Dillon Gabriel are circling, too, each with their own playbook ambitions. The subtext is clear: Stefanski isn’t in the business of crowning spring stars. Sanders may be putting up highlight numbers, but that only buys him a ticket to the next proving ground.
On NFL Live, Jeremy Fowler, Ryan Clark, and Sam Acho dove deep into the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback circus, previewing the decision-making gauntlet ahead for Stefanski. “I expect the Browns to run it similarly to the spring OTAs and minicamp where all four quarterbacks — the two rookies, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett — are trading blows, getting a lot of different throws, working on opposite fields, first team, second team, third team. You’re going to see all that and then Kevin Stefanski, the head coach, will crystallize the pecking order. I do expect Joe Flacco to be in the mix there. He’s certainly the incumbent, probably the favorite at this point,” Fowler said.
Although Coach Stefanski has often said he doesn’t pick favourites, Fowler’s words might spell trouble for Sanders. “Shedeur Sanders did impress in the spring — he was willing to throw the ball in tight windows, he was accurate — but when you ask people with Cleveland, they do bring some caution there…He’s got a ways to go, and so that will probably show early on in camp.”
That’s the core hesitation inside Berea. Sanders looks the part, but he hasn’t yet felt the part when it comes to NFL speed. That’s partly why the Browns have been feeding Dillon Gabriel. Their third-round pick has a compact frame. His college resume? Over 18,000 passing yards with a clean, structured game. But to Sanders’ credit, he’s not folding under that pressure. “So in every aspect I view things as I’ve got time — time to be able to grow and mature,” Sanders told reporters. He knows the gap — and he’s betting on himself to close it.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Cleveland Browns Minicamp Jun 10, 2025 Berea, OH, USA Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders 12 talks to the media during minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Berea CrossCountry Mortgage Campus OH USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKenxBlazex 20250610_kab_bk4_068
He’s taken Tom Brady’s study advice to heart, closing spring strong. Yet, Fowler’s forecast feels grounded: “He’s got a ways to go, and that will probably show early on in camp.” This entire competition is a stress test for Stefanski. The Browns coach isn’t playing coy. But in reality, this is more than just about the QB1. Cleveland has burned through four offensive coordinators in five years with just one playoff win to show. The fanbase is already bracing for impact, weary of the next collapse. That’s what makes Stefanski’s task so delicate.
Shedeur’s fight for the future meets Cleveland’s win-now reality
Robert Griffin III said it best: “He is winning the hearts and minds of Cleveland Browns fans on and off the field.” There’s no denying the allure of Shedeur Sanders. The rookie’s work ethic has become the stuff of whispers in Berea. Late-night film sessions, extra throws after practice, a constant presence even when the field clears. Kevin Stefanski himself sounded more like a proud mentor than a pressured head coach when he told Cleveland Browns Daily back in June, “He’s a very hard worker… he brings joy into the building.” Yet, progress doesn’t always pay the bills in the NFL. Especially when your coach is fighting for his own job security.
By mid-July, the buzz around Sanders had cooled. Insiders suggest he’s not a serious threat to start Week 1, with quiet talks even hinting the Browns might field trade offers if the right suitor calls. Stefanski simply doesn’t have the luxury of patience. This isn’t developmental football. This is a man coaching for his next contract. That’s why Joe Flacco, with an entire offseason under his belt in this system, is taking the first snaps. And that’s not just conjecture — former Chiefs lineman Kyle Long captured the vibe perfectly on NFL on CBS: “Joe Flacco is the oil business. These young men are going to get spit out the back end of an oil rig, and Flacco will emerge victorious.”
So sure, Shedeur might be the future. But in Cleveland, the future has no seat at the table when survival is the priority. Stefanski can’t afford to gamble on upside when his tenure is hanging by a thread. If Sanders is destined to shine, it may have to be in a different uniform. Because right now, in Cleveland, it’s win now or get buried.
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