Cleveland Browns’ final preseason game came with a major insider report for fans: all the noise surrounding the franchise trading or cutting rookie QB Shedeur Sanders might just be a fluke.
Although Sanders had an embarrassing letdown performance on Saturday, Stefanski might be planning on keeping him. There have been several times when the Colorado product outdid himself, like the Browns‘ first preseason game.
Shedeur Sanders Will Most Likely Be a Part of The Browns Final Squad
Considering he nursed his mild oblique strain in just about 10 days to play in the third preseason game, Shedeur Sanders had an epic letdown performance vs. the Los Angeles Rams.
Kevin Stefanski gave all three QBS: Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders a chance to make their final pitch for a spot on his regular-season roster.
Sanders all but threw it down the drain by completing 3-of-6 pass attempts for 14 yards, and getting sacked five times for a loss of 41 yards. All when his rookie competitor, Gabriel, put up a score of 12-of-19 passes for 129 yards with a touchdown.
This is a costly blunder for Sanders, especially when he is at the center of all the trade rumors. However, luckily for Sanders, one bad night will not be the reason he has to go.
Browns’ beat writer Mary Kay Cabot reported Saturday that the Browns are not planning on cutting Sanders.
And no, the #Browns aren’t cutting Shedeur Sanders or trading Kenny Pickett: https://t.co/Ptqm0vzhRT
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 23, 2025
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In addition to that, she gave some key updates on how Stefanski thinks both QBs are worth keeping around.
“They’ve determined that Gabriel and Sanders are both worth keeping and developing. What’s more, both will likely get a chance to play in the second half of the season to help inform the Browns’ draft plans for 2026,” Kay Cabot wrote.
Heading into the regular season with a surplus of talent at a position that has always been controversial for the Browns sounds like a good thing. Flacco handling the first half of the season gives both Gabriel and Sanders the time to further develop their skills before they get another chance to start later in the season.
One Day To Go: NFL Roster Deadline Still Looms
All that said, there are still a couple of days before the writing is set in stone. The NFL’s deadline to cut rosters to 53 is on Tuesday, August 26, leaving some chance of the front office considering an irresistible offer.
There are teams out hunting for some good QB talent. Stefanski clearly has a surplus. If a trade comes around, it would not be an unexpected one.
All that said, the Browns head coach and front office have reiterated their plan to capitalize on the talent they have in their QB room. Releasing a QB, especially when all of them have much potential, looks like a slim chance.
Browns GM Andrew Berry to @ChrisRose when asked about the idea of keeping four QBs on their roster: “Honestly, it’s not much of a decision for us. … We have a room that we like all the guys in there. We don’t really see that as a problem. We more see it as an opportunity.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 23, 2025
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“Unless someone makes an offer the Browns can’t refuse by Tuesday’s deadline, they’ll head into the season with their two veteran QBs and their two developmental rookies,” Cabot adds, emphasizing that the chance of a potential trade is little.
With Kenny Pickett’s status controversial due to his injury, the Browns will need at least three QBs: Flacco starting, either of the two rookies as a backup, and the other one adding depth to the QB room. Now all that Shedeur Sanders needs to take care of is to avoid days like the final preseason game.
Main Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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