With Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett, and Joe Flacco already in the room, Coach Kevin Stefanski is yet to finalize his starting quarterback. But last week, he made it pretty clear what he expects from the young bloods in his QB room. Being receptive to veteran perspectives is all Sanders and Gabriel need to do for now. Recently, during the Browns’ OTA workouts, Coach Stefanski allotted each rookie to a veteran, with Falcco mentoring Sanders and Pickett mentoring Gabriel. And while it is highly unlikely that either of the rookies will get the starting job, there is a belief in the Cleveland camp that if given a chance, Snaders is ready to start.

Right from Day 1, Sanders has been building a story rooted in grit and hard work in Cleveland. So, it is not surprising that the Browns’ HC wants him to make his debut against the Panthers this preseason on August 8. According to Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN, “In that building, there are people who believe that Shedeur can 100 percent be the starter of this football team… It’s incumbent upon Shedeur to do the work, which, talking to the people in that building, they’ve said he is soaking up everything like a sponge.”

Yes, Shedeur also continues to put in efforts and earn that prized position, but is a regular-season start also in the works? If yes, analysts have issued some warning signs for Kevin Stefanski because not everybody is onboard with that idea.

On the Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima podcast, the two got into a heated argument over the prospects of the former Buffs’ QB. Carman put it simply as, “I think it would be a disastrous move to make him the Week 1 starter.” But this did not go over well with Lima as he added his take, “If he leapfrogs Joe Flacco, who’s on this team when they went to the playoffs the other year, if he leapfrogs the guys they gave up assets for, that they took ahead of him, then it becomes like ‘alright, this guy’s undeniable,’ why would you put a stop sign for that?” Lima was, of course, referencing Dillon Gabriel, whom the Browns took in the 3rd round this year as the 94th overall pick. The Browns had acquired this pick earlier by trading Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills.

Ken Carman further doubled down and said he’s all for Shedeur Sanders, but the prospect of him starting the regular season seemed “reckless.” As Carman put it, “I want him to have a chance to succeed. It is too much, too soon. He seems like a good young kid – I want what’s best for Shedeur Sanders, and starting him week 1 in all against the Cincinnati Bengals is reckless.”

While Sanders certainly has the potential to start under center, Carman believes it would be better to get some more experience watching Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett play. But Sanders is already doing that. And as he continues to develop, his minicamp performances are showing a lot of promise.

Shedeur Sanders’ minicamp journey

Shedeur Sanders joined the Browns with a mission to prove himself right. Last one to leave the field, a “locker room favorite,” he’s well on his way to rising through the ranks. Even OC Tommy Rees was all praises for Sanders recently. As Rees put it, “He’s worked his tail off. – You can tell the mental side of the game, learning the system, calling it, having that rhythm to it… He’s put a lot of work and time and effort into that. And when you do that, the game starts to slow down and you can focus on finding completions.” And Sanders, working “his tail off,” has already started to show results.

Shedeur Sanders and the Browns have just moved up to full team practice sessions. And as of the recent open-to-media sessions, the numbers are already catching hype. Sanders’ performance on that day was 9-for-14, with 3 crisp TDs and 1 interception. Even in last week’s 7-on-7 practice sessions, his numbers were great. Curious? It was 7-for-9, with 3 TDS and 0 interceptions. With every impressive throw, Sanders is coming one step closer on his journey to being the QB1 for the Browns. All that hype surrounding him before the draft surely seems justified for the fans now.

Shedeur Sanders is learning from the veterans. Through Flacco and Pickett, he’s learning what it’s like to play in the NFL. He’s also doubling down for answers as he’s “asking them whatever question comes to mind.” With this drive, and with him justifying the hype around him with every throw, could we really be looking at the future Browns starter for this season? September is still far away, and his performance through the training camps and preseason matches will determine it all.