The Browns’ four-man quarterback competition got a little thinner on Saturday. Shedeur Sanders was sidelined on Day 9 of camp with arm soreness, marking his first missed session after eight straight full-go practices. He’d been repping as the No. 4 through the spring and early camp, but Kenny Pickett’s hamstring injury earlier in the week had opened a window and briefly nudged Sanders up the rotation. That momentum stalled on Saturday.

But throughout the week, you might have noticed him stepping up in a big way, especially on the day he was mic’d up, leading the backup units. It was a glimpse of the rookie QB grinding through reps, calling plays, and showing the kind of focus that says he’s here to earn his spot.

Shedeur hasn’t taken first-team reps yet, which aligns with Kevin Stefanski’s deliberate approach to rookie development. The head coach has emphasized that reps have to be earned. You could hear the HC say through Sanders’ mic on day 7, “You don’t find out about yourself, you don’t find out about a football team when things are easy. You don’t. Alright? It’s when things are f–king hard… when you’re going through something. Every single day, I am finding out about what this team is willing to do. What you’re willing to push through! Push through it!”

Speaks volumes now that Shedeur, who was giving his all, is sidelined. Stefanski hasn’t committed to a timeline for naming a starting quarterback or setting the final depth chart. But with key evaluation windows approaching, questions about player availability are becoming more pressing. Cleveland will travel to Charlotte for joint practices with the Panthers on August 6, ahead of their preseason opener on August 8. The following week, the Browns head to Philadelphia for two joint sessions with the Eagles before their second preseason matchup on August 16.

With Pickett still limited while managing a hamstring injury, the bulk of Day 9’s reps fell to Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. Both rotated through first- and second-team work. “It’s next man up,” Pickett said after practice. “And when you’re not out there in a competition, I think you’re losing ground. That’s just how it goes. It’s good for those guys to get extra reps. Me and Shedeur have to get back out there.”

But will Coach Stefanski’s “no shortcuts” approach make or break the rookie’s shot when games start to count?

Can Shedeur Sanders bounce back soon?

Just as Shedeur Sanders seemed to be getting hot, the injury bug struck. On August 2, the coaches held him out of team drills due to a mild injury.

Fans immediately wondered if the “arm soreness” report was a strategic benching, but Coach Stefanski shut that down: this is about smart recovery, so Sanders doesn’t jeopardize his long-term growth.

On day 9, Sanders took part in some early individual work alongside the other quarterbacks, but once the team shifted into 11-on-11 periods, his absence became clear. He remained on the field throughout the roughly 90-minute padded session, observing from behind the play but never stepping into the huddle. With just two quarterbacks fully available on Saturday, Flacco handled 26 competitive reps, while Gabriel followed closely with 25.

While Stefanski hasn’t disclosed how he’ll handle quarterback reps in the preseason opener, any decisions could be impacted by who’s actually healthy and available by the end of the week.

The Browns are scheduled to have Sunday off before returning to the practice field Monday afternoon.