Locker Room Ready to Turn On Kevin Stefanski as Shedeur Sanders Gets Browns QB News, Says Insider

The Cleveland Browns emerged from their devastating 3-14 disaster with more questions than answers heading into 2025. Joe Flacco got the starting nod for Week 1, but nobody expects the veteran to last all season behind Cleveland’s shaky roster. After trading Kenny Pickett to Las Vegas, the Browns rolled with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders as their depth. Now with Shedeur clearing the scraps as an emergency QB, Kevin Stefanski’s locker room dynamics have completely turned on.

Albert Breer dropped some harsh truths about Kevin Stefanski’s quarterback situation during his Wednesday appearance on 92.3 Fans. Breer explained how Stefanski’s locker room management hinges on making pragmatic decisions rather than feel-good stories. “For Kevin Stefanski and his staff to maintain the trust of the locker room, they’re going to have to give those guys the best shot to win week to week. Like, you can’t wave the white flag on a season and expect to hold on to the locker room,” Breer stated bluntly.

So, Kevin has little to no room left for ‘experiment’. He must deliver. His team must. And that’s one of the reasons why he opted to go with the trusted hands of a 40-year-old veteran as QB1. Stefanski’s decision to demote Sanders wasn’t personal but purely performance-based after watching tape from preseason games. Sanders looked promising against Carolina but crumbled against the Rams, completing just 3 of 6 passes for 14 yards while absorbing five sacks. His pocket drift and slow processing speed became obvious weaknesses that NFL defenses exploited ruthlessly.

Rather than rush Shedeur Sanders onto the field, Kevin Stefanski made the calculated call to stick with Joe Flacco, backed by Dillon Gabriel. Both veterans of camp reps, Flacco and Gabriel, showed sharper command of the huddle and steadier game management than Sanders, who was still adjusting to NFL speed. The Browns’ head coach went with the safest pair of hands — a 40-year-old Super Bowl winner — while also signaling patience with his rookies. And as Albert Breer put it bluntly, the depth chart speaks for itself: “How often does a third-round pick or a fifth-round pick become your franchise quarterback?” he asked. “It’s pretty self-explanatory looking at a depth chart where you see a 40-year-old as a starter and then you see two rookies that were drafted outside of the top 80 picks.”

That reality hit even harder once the Browns shipped Kenny to the Raiders. On paper, the move looked like a vote of confidence in the two rookies. In practice, it opened a path to early playing time if things unravel. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com noted that the leash on Flacco will be shorter than many expect. If turnovers or sacks pile up, Gabriel is the first in line, a player the staff “won’t hesitate to start even if it’s early in the season.” For a 94th overall pick, that’s as close to a golden ticket as it gets.

But here’s the twist: Gabriel isn’t the only rookie with the door cracked open. Cabot added that Sanders, while raw, will “get some live action this season, but probably not until later in the season when he’s more seasoned.” That phrasing alone suggests the Browns view him as more than just a clipboard-holder. He may not be ready for September, but December? That’s a different conversation. And if Flacco falters, or if Gabriel can’t translate preseason flashes into real Sundays, the Sanders drumbeat could get louder by the week.

Shedeur Sanders faces a reality check

Meanwhile, Joe Thomas stepped into the Shedeur Sanders controversy with both feet. He defended Cleveland’s quarterback hierarchy against critics who think conspiracy theories explain the rookie’s placement. The Browns Hall of Famer dismissed claims that Sanders faces systematic sabotage from NFL decision-makers or coaching staffs. Thomas believes Sanders supporters lack perspective about professional football’s developmental timeline and the competitive realities of his third-string role.

Thomas addressed the so-called “Shedeur Sanders cult” directly during his appearance on Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich. He explained why conspiracy theories make zero sense from a business perspective. “The reality of the NFL Draft is that you have 32 teams that all want to beat each other, and so they’re not conspiring together to sabotage somebody who, by the way, would be great for the league,” Thomas stated firmly.

“And he is great for the league, because the league wants eyeballs. They want people watching their games, they want these great personalities, and so there is no reason — there is no reason they would be trying to conspire against him and sabotage him. Actually, the opposite: They want to promote a guy like that because he is so great for the league.”

The former offensive lineman criticized fans who expect immediate franchise quarterback production from a fifth-round rookie. Thomas sees dangerous delusions among Sanders’ most vocal supporters about his current readiness. “They just believe that we’re morons for not being able to see that this guy is the greatest thing since sliced bread, the greatest quarterback since Tom Brady, and he’s ready right now to be able to elevate the franchise to their first Super Bowl of all time, and we’re the idiots for not seeing it,” Thomas explained bluntly.

Sanders himself has leaned into patience rather than pressure. In preseason interviews, he stressed gratitude over entitlement, saying, “I’m thankful for who I am, I’m thankful for who my Dad is, I’m thankful for my family. No one can make me feel bad about the blessings I do have.” That mindset will serve him well in Cleveland. As veteran Joe pointed out, the Browns see Sanders’ potential. But they also know development can’t be rushed.