Cleveland Browns Quarterback Competition Intensifies with Shedeur Sanders Emerging

The Cleveland Browns have a highly competitive quarterback room entering the 2025 season, featuring veterans and rookies including Shedeur Sanders, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel. Despite being a fifth-round pick and initially viewed skeptically, Sanders has impressed teammates and coaches alike with his work ethic and potential, even drawing praise from Browns captain Denzel Ward and analyst Colin Cowherd. While some analysts predict Sanders may not develop into a long-term NFL starter, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski sees promise in him as a future franchise quarterback, highlighting his offseason improvements and leadership qualities. The team has experienced instability at the quarterback position over the past decade, having started 19 different QBs, increasing the urgency to find a reliable starter. Sanders' draft slide is attributed to concerns over his readiness and potential off-field distractions linked to his father and college coach Deion Sanders, but his performance in Browns camp challenges those doubts. The Browns are yet to finalize their starting QB, but Sanders' rise has become a compelling storyline amid competing expectations for the quarterback corps.