Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry addressed a potential quarterback trade after the team wrapped up mandatory minicamp. Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski and the Browns staff are in the most unique scenario in the NFL this offseason with four quarterbacks vying for the starting job.
Former Colorado Buffaloes star Shedeur Sanders is competing with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel and veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for the starting job.
It is widely predicted that the Browns will trade or cut at least one quarterback, with many NFL analysts assessing that likely one of the veterans in Flacco or Pickett will be the odd man out.
However, is Cleveland open to keeping all four quarterback on the roster, including Sanders?
“Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely… If they all play well enough,”Berry told Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports.
While keeping all four quarterbacks (five including the injured Deshaun Watson) on the roster would be abnormal, the 38-year-old Berry is no stranger to bold moves. The Browns drafted Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft after already selecting Gabriel in the third round. The move is still highly-debated as Cleveland sorts through the depth chart of a crowded quarterbacks room.
It’s also possible that Berry doesn’t want to appear too eager in trade talks.
Sanders is fresh off a very successful Cleveland minicamp and organized team activities (OTAs) that received unprecedented media attention. According to ESPN Cleveland’s tracker, Sanders led all four quarterbacks in team drill completion percentage (77.4) and touchdown passes (nine) during the five open-to-the-media practices.
Any rumors that Sanders wouldn’t be a good NFL teammate were countered by his effort to build strong relationships with his Browns team, evident in the locker room and his willingness to stay late after practice for extra work with receivers.
Since being drafted in April, Sanders has certainly made a strong case for the Browns to give him a shot. According to Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot both Gabriel and Sanders are viewed as roster locks.
“My goal is to be the best teammate and to be as polished as I can be in every aspect,” Sanders said after Browns practice. “I view things as I got time. I got time to be able to grow and mature and be able to understand the ins and outs of the defenses and be able to get the good insight from the vets in the room. I look at it as a plus. I got time to really be able to have a great understanding.”
The Browns are in need of stability at the quarterback position and Sanders has a real chance of becoming the face of the franchise.
Sanders has experience in helping turning around a program. Before Sanders and his dad, NFL legend Deion Sanders, arrived at Colorado, the team went 1-11. They improved to four wins in Sanders’ first season in Boulder, then jumped to nine wins in 2024.
At Colorado he became one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in college football history. Sanders finished his Buffaloes career with 50 games played in four seasons and completed 1,267-of-1,808 passes (70.1%) for 14,353 yards and 134 touchdowns with 27 interceptions.
In Boulder, Sanders broke over 100 program records and finished third in passing yards, fifth in attempts, third in completions, first in passing touchdowns and tops in quarterback rating.
NFL preseason begins for the Browns on the road vs. the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8. It’ll be first look at Clevelands’ quarterbacks in NFL action in Browns uniforms. Perhaps, there will be all four still in a Browns uniform.
