Shedeur Sanders may be under a lot more pressure than other QBs in the league right now. Which is completely understandable. He is (once again) a participant in a four-way race for the starting job. But Sanders is now a Year 2 QB, which should make him the better candidate. But according to the voices from the team, Sanders is on track to reach the light at the end of this tunnel.

“I think he’s had a really nice offseason,” general manager Andrew Berry told ESPN Cleveland. “He did a really nice job at voluntary minicamp. I think his improvements in decision-making and pocket management by the end of the year, and certainly what we’ve seen so far in a very short spring, have been positive. I expect him to have more command of the offense and better ball security and situational awareness as we go into year two.”

If Sanders wants to be the starter, he has to make sure those rookie jitters are a thing of the past. But those turnovers did not go unnoticed. Across the eight games that Sanders played, he was intercepted 10 times. He tended to hold on to the ball for too long instead of getting it out early, which also led to a lot of sacks (23). Reading through progressions patiently was a challenge as well. For example, according to advanced metrics, Sanders made 10 big-time throws, but also made 15 plays that demanded a turnover.

Dillon Gabriel, who started in six games and played in 10, finished with only two interceptions. But the problem with him is that he wasn’t making those big plays that Sanders did. The longest he ever threw last season was a 26-yard pass against the Baltimore Ravens. Shedeur Sanders, on the other hand, went well above 40 yards a few times last season. He went beyond 60 yards thrice last season, which is a quality Cleveland is counting on. He just has to make sure to keep the ball safe.

Sanders has actually admitted that he holds on to the ball for too long multiple times in the past. After four games into the season, the QB was holding on to the ball for more than three minutes. It is something that he has to cut down on a lot this season. Sometimes that extra time taken behind the decision has helped him make a statement. But that waiting game has also led to defenses getting the better of him.

Comparing these numbers to the competition he’s got, Shedeur Sanders truly has a big obstacle to conquer. He’s going against a veteran in Watson, who, at his best form, could keep the picks below 10. Otherwise, Sanders has a lot of supporters when it comes to him keeping the QB1 crown for the 2026 season.

But that is where we come back to the biggest question mark when it comes to the QB room: what happens to the other candidates?

Andrew Berry on how Cleveland QBs will be rolled out during the season

Sanders wouldn’t have this opportunity if QBs Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco were still on the chart. Cleveland did not need another quarterback in the draft because it already had three reliable options, including Gabriel. But the team still went ahead and drafted Taylen Green. Making this a four-man situation indicates that Cleveland is taking a big risk. But according to Berry, it is one that they had always been planning to take.

“We’ve preached competition since we’ve been here, and that’ll hold true in the quarterback room,” Berry added. “We’re looking for performance. I hate to make it that simple, but that’s what it’s about ultimately. I think you all know that we’d like to keep at least three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, provided that they earn the spot, and another on the practice squad. So we want to make sure we have talent and depth at the position.”

Gabriel has a better capacity to beat Sanders for the QB2 position if Watson locks down the starting position for himself. Green, however, will likely be on practice squad duties this season. He also comes with great numbers, having thrown for 2,714 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. But it will be tough for him to break out amid an already loaded QB room.

Head coach Todd Monken also said last week that even though everyone will be competing, it does not mean that everybody will be getting the same reps. They will be operating according to some kind of depth chart.

Sanders seems to be impressing coaches with his goals because he is already getting first-team reps. But will he be doing enough to maintain and increase his share of reps? That is the storyline we have to follow through this offseason. That would be a telling result of whether or not he’s met what Berry and Co. have expected of him.