- Shedeur Sanders publicly rejects Cam Ward's request to have his Cleveland Browns jersey
- Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel breathe at Browns, who could look to trade for Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett
The Cleveland Browns find themselves with an unusual surplus at the quarterback position, boasting four distinct talents vying for control of the offense. Rookie sensation Shedeur Sanders, seasoned veteran Joe Flacco, left-handed gunslinger Dillon Gabriel, and former Steeler Kenny Pickett are all competing for a spot on the depth chart. With speculation mounting over potential trades, the team has made it clear that no moves are imminent-at least for now.
According to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns are taking a measured approach, opting to evaluate their quarterback room during OTAs before making any decisions. The team's current stance, however, does little to quiet rumors surrounding Sanders, the highly touted rookie from Colorado. As the son of NFL legend and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur's placement on the roster carries more weight than the usual rookie battle. Coach Prime has built a brand around his son's success, and if Cleveland keeps him on the sidelines, pressure could mount.
The Browns have designed their OTAs to ensure equal reps among the four quarterbacks, running concurrent offensive drills to maximize evaluation time. Targets like Jerry Jeudy, David Njoku, and Cedric Tillman will help gauge which signal-caller can best command the offense. However, the window for competition is tightening, with the Browns opening their season against division rivals in back-to-back weeks, followed by a grueling road-heavy schedule-including a London showdown against the Vikings on October 5.
Time to make one or more decisions
No NFL team carries four active quarterbacks into the regular season, and Browns general manager Andrew Berry knows this. While the team remains firm in their no-trade stance, the reality of roster limitations will force a decision before Week 1. If Sanders proves himself in camp but fails to earn the starting job, Cleveland could look to move one of their quarterbacks. The New Orleans Saints, reeling from Derek Carr's retirement, are one of several teams in need of help at the position.
While Cleveland insists all options remain open, outside influences may shift the narrative. If Shedeur Sanders is relegated to the bench, the voice of his father-both a strategist and a promoter-could drive momentum toward a trade. Coach Prime has never been shy about advocating for his son's success, and a move that sees Sanders land on a team where he's guaranteed playing time would align with the family's ambitions.
For now, Cleveland is maintaining a delicate balancing act. The team is determined to see its quarterback battle play out naturally, but the clock is ticking. Whether the Browns ultimately commit to Sanders or explore trade options to shake up the roster, decisions will be made soon. And when they are, they could have ripple effects far beyond Cleveland-including in Boulder, Colorado, where fans are watching closely.