
via Imago
Sheduer Sanders and Dillon Gabriel Via: Instagram @nfl

via Imago
Sheduer Sanders and Dillon Gabriel Via: Instagram @nfl
Developing a young quarterback in the NFL is a full-time job on its own. It demands a hands-on head coach, a patient play-caller, a sharp quarterbacks coach, and a front office willing to weather the growing pains. However, things start to go out of hand when there is more than one player for the same position. This is exactly the case at the Browns’ quarterback room at the moment. It is crowded, overhyped, and still missing that real game-changing presence. As training camp rolls around, Cleveland’s QB lineup looks more stacked than their healthy wide receiver group.
Currently, there is a lot of competition between Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and rookie Shedeur Sanders. But one thing that is missing is a clear long-term plan. Despite handing Deshaun Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million deal and burning through four first-round picks on quarterbacks since 2007, the Browns are still searching for a true franchise QB. Enter Browns insider Jason Lloyd, who points out that the team’s QB1 typically handles almost every first-team rep throughout the season. During a recent Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show episode, he said, “I mean, when you’re trying to get two quarterbacks ready, you’re not gonna have another quarterback ready,”.
And that’s where things start to get messy for Cleveland. Why? According to Jason Lloyd, when breaking down the Browns’ quarterback situation, he revealed that this season is essentially just a temporary fix. Cleveland is leaning on its crowded quarterback room to stay competitive this year, fully aware that the real plan is to draft a new franchise QB in 2026. However, this idea has not gone well with G. Bush of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show. While speaking on his show, he said, “We are gonna go with Flacco and Pickett and lose a bunch of games, get the first pick, and get a quarterback. And you know what you could have done this year? You could have got a guy in the third round, you could have got a receiver that could have been developing and helping you out for the set quarterback that you want the next year.”
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Bush feels the think tank, along with the coach, could have made some signings that would have helped the team this year. Rather, the team has now signed multiple quarterbacks, which would mean not everyone will get a fair chance. Bush further added, ” But instead, you want to draft the quarterbacks and then don’t give them the opportunity to prove their worth. I can’t get into it. I am not going to buy that”. The writing’s on the wall is clear. The Browns are gearing up to draft another quarterback next year. But there’s a catch. If one of the young guns, whether it’s Shedeur Sanders or maybe Dillon Gabriel, rises above the pack and shines as a rookie, Cleveland won’t hesitate to go all-in and build around him. But are they interested in developing young Shedeur Sanders this year as well?
Will Shedeur Sanders come up short in Kevin Stefanski’s crowded quarterback room?
Shedeur Sanders, the former Colorado star, has been on a mission to fight his way into the starting quarterback role. However, it’s not easy to make your place when you’re competing against three others — a fellow rookie and two seasoned vets. Still, Sanders has managed to catch the attention because of his performance at the Browns’ practice sessions. Shedeur impressed, completing 77.4% of his passes (41-for-53) with 9 touchdowns and just one interception. The rookie also spent valuable time soaking up knowledge from veteran Joe Flacco, picking up key lessons about playing the position at the pro level.
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What’s your perspective on:
Are the Browns setting Shedeur Sanders up for failure with their crowded quarterback room?
Have an interesting take?
But the big question remains — was it enough to land him the starting job? The answer, for now, appears to be no. Former NFL receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh recently weighed in on the Browns’ quarterback situation, and Sanders was noticeably absent from the QB1 conversation. He said, “I was told by somebody that’s in the building, that ain’t a player, it’s really coming down to Kenny Pickett or Dillon Gabriel,”. There’s no doubt that Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel are leading the race for the QB1 spot. However, Sanders is not trailing behind in the competition. Reports out of minicamp say Sanders performed well, living up to the hype surrounding him. And that’s what makes this whole situation so messy.
So, where do things stand right now? Well, not where Shedeur Sanders hoped they’d be. Despite all the outside chatter claiming he’s outperformed every quarterback in the building, he hasn’t taken a single snap with the first team. For now, he’s locked in as QB4 — and that’s a glaring red flag for the rookie. Sure, training camp and preseason are still ahead, and there’s time for things to shift. But until then, it’s a messy, uncertain situation for Sanders.
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Are the Browns setting Shedeur Sanders up for failure with their crowded quarterback room?