Browns insider reveals Shedeur Sanders stands a chance to steal starter role from Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett
The Cleveland Browns may have uncovered a late-round gem in rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. While veteran names still dominate the top of the roster, some suggest that Sanders is earning a legitimate opportunity to make his case as more than a developmental arm.
In her Sunday edition of the “Hey, Mary Kay!” mailbag, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot highlighted the momentum Sanders is building.
"His excellent performance, albeit not with the starters yet, earned him some time with the ones in training camp, and he'll have fair a shot to see if he can win the starting job," Cabot said.
"Now it's up to him to prove everyone wrong who passed on him. If he continues to progress at his current clip, he'll stay in the starting conversation deep into camp. It won't be easy, but he has a chance," Cabot said.
A fifth-round pick at No. 144, Sanders came into the league hailed by some as a potential first-round talent, but ultimately slid due to questions about his pro readiness.
Shedeur Sanders' processing speed catches up to physical tools
When Shedeur Sanders arrived in Cleveland, he had significant ground to cover in mastering the demands of a pro-style offense. Coming from Colorado’s system, Sanders had not been asked to process the same level of defensive complexity or operate in a heavily structured pre-snap environment. These are elements that coach Kevin Stefanski’s scheme prioritizes.
That learning curve initially kept Sanders behind veteran Joe Flacco, former first-rounder Kenny Pickett and rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel. But in recent weeks, his improvement in pre-snap recognition and overall command has accelerated.
Cabot emphasized that the rookie’s early struggles were not due to organizational favoritism or lack of opportunity, but rather an honest reflection of his developmental stage.
"Sanders had a long way to go when he showed up here in terms of learning how to run a pro style offense (mostly pre-snap operations) and still does," Cabot said.
"It's why he's been the fourth-team quarterback. But he's coming up the learning curve quickly, and really came on strong in the last two weeks OTAs and minicamp."
On Monday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler echoed similar sentiments, highlighting Shedeur Sanders’ confidence as a passer and his ability to test tight windows. According to Fowler, the Browns noticed his willingness to make aggressive throws, even against complex defensive alignments.
To ensure reps are fairly distributed, Cleveland’s coaching staff employed simultaneous 7-on-7 sessions this spring. This tactic is designed to give all four quarterbacks meaningful practice time.