When you’ve got six quarterbacks on the roster just weeks before the season kicks off, you’d think injuries wouldn’t be anywhere near the top of your worry list. But this is the Cleveland Browns we’re talking about—the team that somehow manages to find bad luck hiding in every corner of the QB room. At this point, nothing’s off the table. And right now? It’s the injury bug that’s back, knocking. The latest name on the list: Shedeur Sanders.

A couple of weeks ago, the Colorado Buffaloes’ product was dealing with a sore arm. He bounced back, lit it up in the preseason, and made a legit case for that QB1 spot. But just when it felt like he was cruising, here comes the curveball—an oblique injury. ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped the news on Wednesday, August 13, and suddenly the Browns’ quarterback soap opera has a brand-new episode.

“Browns QB Shedeur Sanders suffered an oblique injury while throwing during the early portion of practice today, and was held out for the rest of the session,” Schefter wrote on his Instagram handle. The quarterback injured his oblique while throwing early in drills in the joint practice against the Eagles. The Browns confirmed that Shedeur was present on the field throughout the practice and watched the Browns run through 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

Definitely not the kind of news the Browns’ faithful would want to hear at this point. But somehow, it feels like people in Berea are getting used to it. And the logic tracks. A few years ago, the Browns made an optimistic decision when they signed Deshaun Watson on a five-year $230 million deal, fully guaranteed. Ever since, the veteran quarterback has been down due to multiple injury concerns. He’s still not available to return for the 2025 season. But those were the past horrors.

Cleveland got the latest ones. Several. It all started with Kenny Pickett’s hamstring injury. The veteran quarterback took the most reps at the beginning of the training camp. However, Pickett then went down due to a hamstring injury. Next? Shedeur, but with a sore arm. Cleveland confirmed that Sanders was holding out of team drills with arm soreness. Next? Dillon Gabriel.

Shedeur’s fellow rookie quarterback sustained a hamstring injury of his own and had to miss a portion of the team’s practice sessions. Only Joe Flacco was safe. The result? Kevin Stefanski and Co. were watching their QB depth evaporate like water on hot turf. And when that kind of pressure builds? Teams make bold moves. The Browns sure did. They brought Tyler Hunley straight from Miami.

For a moment, it felt like and widely reported that Huntley will start in the preseason opener against the Panthers. But Shedeur came back healthy and torched the Panthers with a 30-10 win. Along the way, the quarterback recorded a couple of touchdowns while completing 14 of 23 passes. Fast forward to now, and dark clouds are looming over Shedeur’s presence in the preseason game against the Eagles.

How does Shedeur Sanders’ injury affect the Browns?

At this point, three of the five Browns’ quarterbacks (excluding Watson) have been struggling with the injury complications. Pickett has been dealing with his hamstring injury that dates back to the first week of camp. Meanwhile, Gabriel is recovering, sure. But the rookie quarterback is yet to gain his rhythm to finally be back on the field. And now, Shedeur Sanders is the latest edition to this injury saga.

With all this chaos flying around, veteran Flacco’s still soaking up most of the reps, and yes, he’s pretty much a lock to start Week 1. But that’s still a few weeks away. Right now, the real question is who steps in for the second preseason game against the Eagles if Shedeur’s injury turns out to be more than just a minor hiccup?

Coach Stefanski had recently confirmed that Shedeur will start against Philly on Saturday if Gabriel is unable to. “Yeah, I guess if those guys could not play, yes, and we’re working through that,” Stefanski said when asked if Sanders would start in Pickett and Gabriel’s absence. “We were always going to play our young guys a lot in these games, so we’ll see how it shakes out here over the next couple of days.”

Fast forward to now, and there has been a change in the narrative. Shedeur is down to an oblique injury, and so is Gabriel with a hamstring injury. While the severity of Sanders’ injury is still unknown, we can expect his return as soon as he becomes healthy. Replacement in his absence? Well, that remains to be seen.