By the time Day 3 of the draft arrived, Shedeur Sanders had already become one of the weekend’s most confounding storylines. The arm talent was never in doubt—scouts still talked about his ability to make off-platform throws. But the red flags? They came from his film. Holding the ball too long, inconsistent pocket instincts, and an offense that inflated stats but not polish. His pre-draft handling didn’t help either. Some teams quietly believed the Sanders camp misread how the league saw him.

So when Cleveland scooped him up in the fifth round, it wasn’t viewed as a “steal.” It felt intentional, cautious—even distant. GM Andrew Berry laid it out plainly: “We felt like it wasn’t necessarily the plan going into the weekend to select two quarterbacks, but we do believe in best player available, we do believe in positional value, and we didn’t necessarily expect him to be available in the fifth round.” Translation?

Sanders wasn’t a franchise pick. He was a value add. A flyer. Someone to develop, not hand the keys to. And following the draft, Kevin Stefanski and Co. somehow convinced everyone that Shedeur Sanders is a developmental prospect, not the ultimate franchise quarterback. At least, that’s what Nick Wilson of the 92.3 The Fan believes.

“When it comes to Shedeur,” Wilson noted on Saturday, “I get he’s a fifth-round pick. He’s a developmental prospect. Some of that I think he’s insincere, but they’ve (the Browns) convinced people that this is true.” The OTAs and the minicamp just deepened this statement. Stefanski confirmed that the quarterbacks, including Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, rookie Dillon Gabriel, and of course, Shedeur, will participate in equal reps. Many expected Shedeur to receive first-team reps at some point. But there’s a wrinkle.

Despite turning heads at the rookie minicamp and the OTAs, he didn’t take part in any first-team snaps, at least not in media-open portions. Though Stefanski later confirmed that the former Colorado quarterback indeed took part in first-team reps behind closed doors, by then, the internet had already done its thing. Nick Collins believes that the Browns will have to leave the door open for Shedeur.

“You got to leave the door open for Shedeur,” he added. “I don’t believe Dillon Gabriel is a starting quarterback in the NFL. And I think if you try and put him out there to start the season or in the middle of the season, I think that’s going to bear fruit very very quickly.” He further added, “…But as we talk about the Browns quarterback plan, again, the question is, will the Browns treat Shedeur like a fifth-rounder? If they do, he has either failed to capitalize and walk the path they’ve asked him to, or they’ve failed to keep an open mind on him. Neither are okay for me.”

Shedeur impressed everyone during the Browns’ practice sessions. Shedeur completed 41 of 53 passes (77.4%), throwing nine touchdowns and only one interception. And if the Browns still see him as a fifth-round pick to serve as a backup, then something has gone south, as Nick Collins pointed out. The Browns’ quarterback room is stacked. With training camp approaching, and the way things are unfolding, the situation is getting tougher for Shedeur Sanders. And analysts out there believe that he’s not the Browns’ ultimate starting quarterback.

Will Shedeur Sanders be a backup QB for the Browns?

Shedeur Sanders is a talented quarterback with a Prime Time surname, and he has arrived in the NFL with a great resume under his belt. A 36-14 track record at Jackson State and Colorado, over 14K yards, and 134 touchdowns. But when you’re stuck in a crowded quarterback room—another rookie fighting for reps and a pair of veterans whose experience speaks volumes—the path to earning the QB1 job gets that much tougher. Shedeur is right at the center of it.

Tommy Tran, Danny Kanell, and Mike Renner from CBS Sports recently sat down to discuss the Browns’ QB1 room. Unfortunately, you won’t find them talking about Shedeur as the starting QB1. Leading the chorus was Danny, who predicted that Joe Flacco would be the QB1 in week 1. “I’m going to go with the seasoned veteran of Joe Flacco,” he said. “The one-time elite Joe Flacco, the 40-year-old Joe Flacco.” Ever since the Browns signed Flacco, the 40-year-old is expected to become the QB1. The reasons are plenty.

He’s probably happier in Cleveland; he has already led them to the playoffs a couple of years back, and he’s your veteran QB with a Super Bowl ring. “I know it has been a very interesting offseason for Shedeur Sanders, and as you know, consumed a lot of headlines around the draft, and I think eventually it’s a great opportunity for him, but when it’s all said and done, I do think Joe Flacco will get the nod week one,” Kanell added.

But Mike Renner won’t think that Flacco will start in week 1. To spice it up, he doesn’t even think that Shedeur Sanders will start. His prediction? Dillon Gabriel. “I generally agree with the reasoning there, but I just disagree that Joe Flacco at this point in his career is the safe bet. I mean, he threw seven picks in six starts a year ago. He did not look like a starting-caliber quarterback anymore. He’s now over 40 years old. I’m going with Dillon Gabriel,” he said.

He went on, “The guy is experienced, the most experienced quarterback to ever hit the NFL. More starts in college football than anyone in college football history. I do just think his game is ready for the NFL, even if his ceiling may not be that high.” Taken all together, a renowned surname, and the college stats don’t seem to guarantee a starting role to Shedeur Sanders. He’s been one of the most confounding storylines this offseason. And the way things are unfolding, it’s going to persist in the season as well.