Kevin Stefanski’s biggest preseason gamble may rest on Shedeur Sanders, and the game against the Rams only amplified that reality. Under the bright lights, Sanders endured his most difficult outing yet, completing just 3 of 6 passes for 14 yards with a 56.2 passer rating. He was sacked five times for a loss of 41 yards as Cleveland’s offensive line collapsed almost instantly. Critics quickly pointed to protection breakdowns. Just a week after a promising performance against the Panthers, the rookie suddenly found himself back on the hot seat, relying on Stefanski’s faith to outweigh one ugly box score.

That trust was justified at least to some extent on Sunday. The Browns head coach ensured that Sanders remains within the immediate plans of the team. Considering four of the five O-linemen who blocked for Sanders in his most challenging game against the Rams were released today: LG Dartanyan Tinsley, Bucky Williams, RG Javion Cohen, and RT Sebastian Gutierrez. Stefanski dispelled the rumor that the Browns submarined Sanders instead, framing the moves as part of an evaluation process. The bigger news was that Cleveland released former Ravens Pro Bowl quarterback Tyler Huntley, who opened camp as one of five quarterbacks vying for a job. The cutting of Huntley in the first wave set Joe Flacco squarely as the starter with Sanders, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel competing for pecking order on the bench.

Gabriel remains Sanders’s stiffest competition for a final spot. The rookie from Oklahoma flashed against the Rams. He completed 12 of 19 for 129 yards and a touchdown, looking far more composed than Sanders in the same game. That performance added pressure to Stefanski’s quarterback decision, especially as league-wide quarterback moves reshaped the market on Sunday. The Eagles traded for Sam Howell, while the Minnesota Vikings signed Carson Wentz. Both deals might ultimately resonate in Cleveland, either sticking Sanders in a roster spot or presenting trade scenarios for Pickett. In the meantime, the Browns still might maintain four quarterbacks.

The roster cutting did not end there with Huntley and Sanders’s defense. Three other Cleveland veterans were also cut by the Browns: T Jackson Barton, CB Tony Brown II, and S Nik Needham. Veteran lineman Barton was inconsistent on pass sets in modest snaps. Needham, after coming back from a bad injury, never seemed quite as quick and was outrun deep on numerous occasions, leaving his recovery speed in doubt. Their departures served to reinforce the message that Stefanski and the front office are seeking youth and new competition throughout the depth chart.

Meanwhile, the Browns have decided to bid adieu to Tyler Huntley.

With a clear plan for Sanders, the Browns cut ties with Tyler Huntley

Huntley’s exit tells us how quickly opportunity can disappear in the NFL. The 27-year-old arrived in camp as the Browns’ fifth quarterback and was supposed to compete seriously for the second job after a Pro Bowl run with Baltimore in 2021. Huntley never distanced himself in practice or games. However, by August 24, Stefanski decided to go in another direction. With four quarterbacks remaining in camp, Huntley was the odd man out.

For Shedeur Sanders, that makes for a complicated but somewhat more defined route. Huntley’s experience might have made him the safer option. But Stefanski’s willingness to lean on younger arms suggests a long-view approach. Sanders, for all his struggles against Los Angeles, remains a dynamic prospect with upside. His ability to shake off that performance and replicate his earlier flashes could convince the Browns to keep him as a developmental piece on the 53-man roster. In a sense, Huntley’s departure opened a door that Sanders can’t afford to leave ajar.

Though the larger picture is that Cleveland is still working through its quarterback depth chart while paring down excess elsewhere. Cutting these players was not necessarily about Sanders or Huntley. It was about providing clarity in a camp that has been crowded at nearly every position. For now, Stefanski’s message is simple: Shedeur Sanders has not been sabotaged, Huntley has been sacrificed. And the Browns’ quarterback room remains one of the league’s most intriguing subplots heading into Week 1.