Browns Veteran Turns On Shedeur Sanders After Kevin Stefanski Takes Tough QB Decision

With Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel injured and Joe Flacco rested, Shedeur Sanders had all the advantages in the world to impress the Browns HC in his preseason debut against the Panthers. And he did succeed in his mission, finishing 14 of 23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He displayed accuracy in tight windows and even showed the ability to extend plays with four carries for 19 yards. Kevin Stefanski admitted afterward, “Pleased with Shedeur (Sanders), ​​pleased with the offense…” It was a debut that Shedeur and the Browns both wanted. But in the next preseason matchup against the LA Rams, that very optimism thinned.

Sanders’ weakness was exposed against the Rams, completing just three passes on six attempts, totaling a meager 14 passing yards. The Browns QB also took five sacks, all while losing 41 yards in the process. That tape caught the attention of the Browns legend and the NFL Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, who made his observations on The Dawgs Podcast. Thomas said, “Unfortunately, the things that made Shedeur drop in the draft were he takes too many sacks. He drifts in the pocket. He’s not comfortable stepping up into the pocket and making quick decisions and reading the defense.”

Thomas pointed out the difference between the two preseason performances. “The first time we saw him against Carolina, he was money. He was lights out, and it was awesome watching that decision-making process,” Thomas said. “But then we did see sort of the college Shedeur a little bit in the game against the Rams, where right off the bat, he’s dropping too deep. And instead of stepping up as he’s going through his progressions, he tries to drift and drift, and then escape the pocket from the backside.” Now, this is not too surprising because even during his last year in college football, Sanders did throw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, but he also absorbed a staggering 42 sacks (national high).

During the Rams game, Sanders immediately started drifting in the pocket, dropping deeper as defensive pressure mounted. His timing faltered, and instead of stepping up, he relied on late lateral escapes, which collapsed plays. Joe Thomas captured the problem exactly: “As soon as he lost confidence in his protection because he was getting hit, now all of a sudden, he just continues to drop deeper and deeper and deeper, which is just compounding the problem.”

“He wasn’t able to self-correct in the moment, and he let the frustration get the best of him, which I think that was the most disappointing part of that entire preseason game.” Over five series in the second half, Sanders struggled to move the offense, managing just one first down while taking five sacks. His inability to quickly release the ball – highlighted by a costly 24-yard sack when he kept scrambling. But now here’s the problem: Joe Thomas was not the only one taking notice. After Sanders’ poor game, head coach Kevin Stefanski made it official before the regular season began.

Stefanski’s verdict: Shedeur Sanders slips to QB3

Sanders lost the competition not only for the starting job but also for the backup spot. Joe Flacco retained the top role, and rookie Dillon Gabriel impressed enough to secure QB2 on the roster. As per Ian Rapoport, “#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski tells reporters that Shedeur Sanders will be the third QB, meaning he’s able to dress for games.”

That left Sanders as the Browns’ third quarterback – an “emergency” option under the 2023 bylaw. Before Cleveland publicly announced Dillon Gabriel as the backup, Albert Breer had already suggested the direction they were leaning. “At this point, they would feel more comfortable putting Dillon Gabriel in a regular-season game than they would Shedeur Sanders.”

The position comes with strict conditions. Sanders will dress on game days, but may only enter if both Flacco and Gabriel are unavailable due to injury or ejection. He cannot be inserted because of performance, meaning Cleveland does not trust him – yet – to manage live NFL action. For a rookie who once spoke of “changing a franchise,” earning the emergency designation reinforces the gap between his ambition and immediate reality.