Browns rumors: Mike Florio speculates on Shedeur Sanders’ QB1 chances

Not many fourth-string quarterbacks garner much attention entering training camp, but the spotlight of the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback room remains on Shedeur Sanders. Despite being taken two rounds after Dillon Gabriel in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders is still the team’s prized rookie.

Despite Sanders’ well-documented fall in the NFL Draft, he might still be Browns owner Jimmy Haslam’s favorite, NFL analyst Mike Florio speculated. Florio believes the 71-year-old businessman still makes many team decisions and could end up being why Sanders is thrust into the starting lineup.

“If Haslam wants Shedeur, he’ll likely get Shedeur,” Florio wrote. “Making him the starter will validate the organization’s decision to prioritize analytics over all other factors in adding to the roster a rookie who will complicate the broader dynamics of the establishment of a 53-man football team for 2025.”

However, Florio predicted that one of the Browns’ veteran quarterbacks will start the year until they are forced to turn the job over to one of the rookies. He guessed that only one of Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett will make the final roster, but whomever it is will open the year as the starter.

“It’s possible that the Browns will start the season with one of [Flacco or Pickett], riding it out until the time comes to give the team a boost,” Florio wrote. “Much of that will depend on the schedule, to be released in 11 days. If they get some winnable games early, they might build momentum. If they face a September-October juggernaut, the wheels could fly off quickly.”

Browns seek rebound from disastrous 3-14 campaign

Whoever it is under center will give the team a new hope after three painful years of DeShaun Watson under center. Watson is still on the team but will likely spend the entire year on injured reserve after twice tearing his Achilles. While the state of uncertainty feels like a familiar position for the Browns to be in, they are just two years removed from their last playoff appearance.

Even if Flacco or Pickett open the year as the starter, it seems likely that Sanders will get his opportunity in 2025. Cleveland has played two or more quarterbacks every year since 2020, when Baker Mayfield was the last signal-caller to start an entire season. The Brown played four quarterbacks in 2024 — Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe — with only one, Winston, finding any success.

Flacco is the last quarterback to lead the team to the playoffs, but at 40, his days as a 17-game starter are long behind him. Even if Gabriel sees the field first, Sanders will likely get his chance to prove his draft fall was a mistake.