Since taking over starting quarterback duties, Shedeur Sanders has played his way into an extended look atop the depth chart. Cleveland will stick with the oft-discussed rookie the rest of the way.
When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Sanders will operate as the team’s QB1 for the remainder of the season. That update comes as little surprise based on the performance from fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel prior to his concussion. That absence opened the door for Sanders to start three games in a row, and that figure will extend to seven.
“I’ve been really impressed by his work ethic, going back to when he got here,” Stefanski said of Sanders (via Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand). “When they embrace it, that’s the fun part. He’s still very early in his career. There’s moments in games that are hard to replicate in practice.”
The Browns cleared out their QB logjam to a degree by trading away Kenny Pickett shortly before the start of the season. In the wake of Joe Burrow‘s injury, Joe Flacco went from serving as Cleveland’s starter to being dealt to Cincinnati. That opened the door for Gabriel to make six starts before missing time due to the concussion. Since then – and as many predicted prior to the beginning of the campaign – it has been Sanders at the helm, something which will remain the case moving forward.
The Browns only have a single win in Sanders’ three starts, but the Colorado star has shown flashes under center. In his three starts, Sanders has completed 57 percent of his passes for 722 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Three of those scores came during yesterday’s loss to the Titans, a game in which the QB also tallied 29 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
We heard recently that while Sanders will be granted a long leash for the remainder of this season, he won’t be guaranteed the QB1 role in 2026. The Browns will still likely have Deshaun Watson on the books next year, and the team could use their first-round pick at the position. Still, Sanders has a chance to make a lasting impression on the organization as he looks to retain his role next year.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.