Kevin Stefanski’s Plans to Go Up In Flames as Shedeur Sanders Gets News On Browns QB Prediction

Kevin Stefanski entered this offseason with the expected plan that the QB competition would unfold openly, with the eventual starter to be named after thorough evaluation. Still, many fans and analysts expected Kenny Pickett to emerge as the likely starter. Pickett was supposed to evolve behind veteran Joe Flacco. The team envisioned a quarterback duel where Pickett would back up, learn, and then take over the reins. But that neat plan derailed fast. The Browns shipped Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders for a fifth-round pick, suddenly leaving a gaping hole in their QB depth chart and forcing a scramble for a new backup. 

With Pickett gone, Dillon Gabriel, the third-round pick from the 2025 draft out of Oregon, swooped in and claimed the backup role after a promising preseason. Gabriel boasts an impressive college resume. He was the Big Ten MVP and the second all-time FBS passer in career yards. Gabriel showed consistency in training camp and preseason games. He outpaced his rookie rival, Shedeur Sanders, a flashy fifth-round pick. This battle wasn’t just about talent but about readiness and timing, and Gabriel clearly won the job ahead of Sanders. 

Joe Flacco, now 40, is the starter again – not for nostalgia but because Stefanski and the Browns don’t see a better option right now. Flacco’s experience and calm gave him the edge in a room swirling with questions. However, with Flacco’s age and a historically unstable Browns quarterback room, labeling their quarterback situation anything but volatile would be misleading. As per Zac Jackson of The Athletic, “Week 1 starter Joe Flacco is 40, and this Browns team is much more likely to be near the bottom of the league than the playoff race by November.” Kevin Stefanski’s plan to provide QB stability has essentially gone up in flames because with 4 QBs on the depth chart, stability seems imaginary. 

As Zac Jackson put it best: “Eleven times since their 1999 return to the NFL, the Browns have had at least three starting quarterbacks. Let’s count on that becoming 12 times and another streak extending after five players started at the role in 2023 and four last year.” With Flacco starting, Gabriel as backup, and Sanders stuck as the emergency third string, the Browns are once again playing quarterback musical chairs. 

Sanders’ preseason flashes couldn’t outweigh concerns about his slow decision-making and pocket presence. And Kevin Stefanski made it clear: Sanders will dress on game days. But only play if both Flacco and Gabriel are unavailable, never if one is just benched. That’s not exactly the recipe for building confidence or momentum.

So here we are again. The Browns’ quarterback carousel spins with no end in sight. Owner Jimmy Haslam predicted a struggle for QB clarity back in July. And Stefanski’s depth chart decisions prove just how tough the ride ahead will be. But the franchise is investing time and money in keeping all four QBs on the roster. Flacco ($4.25M base), Pickett traded, Gabriel ($840k base), and Sanders ($840k base). It’s a bet on development more than immediate success. The QB rollercoaster that’s plagued Cleveland for decades shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

What Sanders’ role really means

Shedeur Sanders entered the Browns camp with confidence. Boldly predicting he’d “obviously” make the 53-man roster and eventually be the franchise-defining QB. But reality hit hard when the depth chart came out. Sanders is the third-string quarterback, suited up primarily as an emergency option. Meaning he’ll sit out game days unless the unthinkable happens.

Stefanski made things crystal clear. 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.” Sanders can dress on game days but will only see action if both Flacco and Gabriel are sidelined. The Browns are also leveraging the NFL’s 2023 Bylaw Proposal 1A. It allows an emergency QB to dress as the 49th man on game days, but with strict usage rules.

For Sanders, this means a spot on the roster with limited real playing time for now. He’ll be invaluable on the scout team, running reps against the first team’s defense and soaking up NFL game-day routines. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a young QB who once had first-round buzz and starred in college, but it’s also a foot in the door. Meanwhile, the Browns keep their fingers crossed that their QB carousel slows down – though the history and preseason turmoil say otherwise.