Browns first depth chart throws ice water on Shedeur Sanders hype

The Cleveland Browns did themselves no favors by selecting Shedeur Sanders with the 144th pick in April's NFL Draft. While it was probably a savvy football move — we all know Sanders was better than his eventual fifth-round draft slot — it came after Cleveland already picked Dillon Gabriel two rounds earlier. That meant pitting two rookie quarterbacks against each other in soon-to-be crowded QB room with several veterans in the mix.

Deshaun Watson isn't even back from his latest knee injury yet and the Browns are already feeling the roster crunch. Despite consistently positive reviews coming out of training camp, Sanders faces an uphill battle for the QB3 role, not to mention the primary backup gig. He's far away from starting games.

Cleveland's first depth chart of the preseason lists Sanders as QB4, sidelining all talk of the Colorado product moving up the Browns' QB hierarchy — for now.

Browns list Shedeur Sanders fourth on first QB depth chart of 2025 season

A lot can change between now and the regular season, but Sanders still has a long way to go in his attempt to prove the doubters wrong. Sanders' fall to the fifth round came as a total shock, but aside from the perceived value of selecting a Heisman candidate at No. 144, it's hard to find the positives for Cleveland. The Browns now must deal with an outsized media focus on a rookie quarterback with zero long-term guarantees.

We can speculate about how close Sanders is to leapfrogging his 2025 draft mate, Dillon Gabriel, but the simple fact is that Cleveland picked Gabriel 50 spots earlier. There was more organizational confidence in Gabriel from the start. Whether that was based purely on talent or on more external factors, it doesn't really matter. Because the Browns weren't worried enough about Sanders off the field to avoid him later in the draft. If Cleveland felt strongly about Sanders, he would've been off the board in Round 3, rather than Gabriel.

Browns QB depth chart is far from set in stone

While this does mean Sanders is working at a disadvantage right now, this depth chart is bound to evolve over the coming months. Flacco, for all his experience and know-how, is 40 years old. For a team searching for long-term stability beyond the Deshaun Watson era, is starting a quarterback on the verge of retirement really the best option?

Flacco was quite bad in limited starts for the Colts last season. His magical run with the Browns in 2023 is still fresh on the mind, but let's be real about his outlook. Flacco lucked into a starting opportunity that wouldn't be available anywhere else in the NFL.

Kenny Pickett, now hurt, isn't exactly a powerhouse backup either. He had his opportunities in Pittsburgh but failed to capitalize. A backup stint in Philly was good for his development, but Pickett's weak arm and gun-shy decisions are bound to crop back up if he's forced to play meaningful football.

There is no clear path forward for Browns QB room

This was always going to be a two-horse race between Flacco and Pickett at the beginning, but Watson's future return will complicate things. As will the rookie up-and-comers. In all likelihood, Cleveland does not view Gabriel nor Sanders as long-term, clear-cut starting options. Not yet, at least. The Browns probably wouldn't hesitate to select a quality quarterback in the first round next spring if the 2025 campaign goes belly up. And yet, with so little stability at the position, both rookies should get ample opportunity to prove their worth, just in case one dramatically outperforms expectations.

All eyes remain glued to Gabriel and Sanders in Browns camp. That is easily the most compelling storyline for a team without much hope of contending. Should Sanders continue to dominate in practice and flash his excellent football IQ, there's a world in which he could at least climb into QB2 territory before the season ends — especially if the Browns opt to prioritize the future at some point.