In Berea’s July heat, practice had ended, but Shedeur Sanders refused to walk away. Helmet strapped, jersey soaked, the 144th pick kept firing passes ten minutes past the final horn, each throw a silent challenge to everyone watching, including Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. Days earlier, Sanders posted the camp’s best performance, and on Tuesday, July 29th, he was flawless again, 9-for-9, 2 touchdowns, no interceptions. The rookie who once told Coach Prime to stay away wasn’t chasing hype. He was chasing the job.

Dillon Gabriel had his shot, too. Crisp footwork, steady pocket, then disaster, and a red-zone interception to Cameron Mitchell. No touchdowns, no redemption, just Haslam’s unblinking stare from the sideline. Gabriel’s 6-for-9 paled against Sanders’ perfection, the gap growing with every rep. Joe Flacco may be QB1, but the fight behind him is burning hot. And on this day, Sanders didn’t just stay on the field, he owned it. Now there’s more headache for the Oregon alum.

Browns training camp just got a shake-up, and not in Gabriel’s favor. Shedeur Sanders officially returned to practice today, on August 4th. That means reps are about to get a lot harder to come by for Gabriel, who’s already been battling inconsistency in team drills. With the quarterback competition heating up, every throw matters, and Gabriel is running out of chances to impress.

For Gabriel, the timing couldn’t be worse. Insiders at camp have noted his struggles with decision-making under pressure, and now, with Sanders back in the fold, those second-team and situational reps he’s been getting are expected to shrink. In an NFL camp, losing reps is more than a minor inconvenience; it’s a fast track to sliding down the depth chart, especially when a highly-touted rookie is waiting to take your snaps.

Explaining the grind, he admitted, “Yeah, in college, it’s just adjusting to starting and stopping. Sometimes you go in hot, then you’ll wait, my arm and body wasn’t used to that, we took it back 100% today.” That taking it back was literal, Saturday’s team drills saw Sanders sidelined with arm soreness, missing a golden chance to widen the gap.

Dillon Gabriel’s struggles, however, did him no favors. On Friday, August 1st, he went just 3-of-14 in team drills, per ESPN Cleveland. Saturday was worse, 1-of-6, per Zac Jackson, while Sanders watched from the sideline. Even without taking a snap, the gap felt visible.

Shedeur Sanders’ teammate struggling with injury

The Cleveland summer heat hasn’t just been cooking the turf at training camp, it’s been testing every ounce of grit in the Browns’ quarterback room. And at the center of it all, Kenny Pickett just stared adversity dead in the eye and refused to blink.

After missing three straight practices with a hamstring injury, the kind that can turn a quarterback’s training camp dream into a nightmare, Pickett has finally confirmed the diagnosis. But instead of retreating, the 26-year-old has doubled down on his pursuit of QB1.

“I’m 100% in,” he said, his tone clipped, his jaw set. “I’ve never dealt with a soft-tissue injury like this, I came in the best shape of my career. It’s frustrating, but I’m turning the page and getting ready to come back stronger.”

For Pickett, this isn’t just rehab, it’s redemption. A former first-round pick who went 7-5 in back-to-back seasons for the Steelers before being shipped to Philadelphia, his path back to being a full-time starter now runs straight through Cleveland. His competition? An 18-year veteran in Joe Flacco, a living statue in the pocket, but still armed with a cannon. And behind them, hungry rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has already hinted at what separates Pickett, mobility, escapability, the ability to create when plays collapse. In Stefanski’s own words, “He’s had a good amount of NFL exposure. You don’t want anybody missing time, but he’s done a nice job of staying engaged.”

The timing of his return could not be more critical. Two more practices in Cleveland. Then a joint showdown with the Carolina Panthers. And on August 8, the first live test of the preseason. Every rep will be magnified, every throw dissected.