{"id":24406,"date":"2025-05-29T23:34:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T23:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=24406"},"modified":"2025-05-29T23:34:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T23:34:14","slug":"breaking-shedeur-sanders-gains-momentum-in-cleveland-browns-quarterback-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=24406","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : Shedeur Sanders Gains Momentum in Cleveland Browns\u2019 Quarterback Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure data-mm-id=\"_jjp9e9tpe\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,w_3000,h_1687,x_0,y_174\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/ImagnImages\/mmsport\/buffs_beat\/01jwenvfhf4djg91n0c0.jpg\" alt=\"Shedeur Sanders Gains Momentum in Cleveland Browns' Quarterback Battle\" \/><\/figure>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_j7qb3o3zf\">The Cleveland Browns\u2019 quarterback battle has quickly become one of the NFL\u2019s most intriguing offseason storylines.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_mr2mzmhn7\">Primarily thanks to Colorado Buffaloes&#8217; former star quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, who is making it clear that he\u2019s in Cleveland to compete for the starting job behind center.<\/p>\n<div class=\"\" data-mm-id=\"_aonojisgy\">\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,w_2230,h_2973,x_0,y_30\/c_fill,w_620,ar_3:4,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/ImagnImages\/mmsport\/buffs_beat\/01jweny97g97k8nxndk9.jpg\" alt=\"Shedeur Sanders Gains Momentum in Cleveland Browns' Quarterback Battle\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_j6bcxi6v9\">Despite being drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft\u2014behind the Browns\u2019 third-round selection of Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel\u2014Sanders may already be climbing the internal depth chart as he draws early praise from observers.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_wvjk1v9xd\">On Thursday morning, ESPN Cleveland\u2019s Aaron Goldhammer shared his takeaways after speaking with roughly 20 people who attended the Browns\u2019 second OTA session.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_0p14v9lek\">His \u201cconsensus\u201d quarterback ranking may raise eyebrows\u2014especially given his early skepticism of Sanders.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_odee651e6\">\u201cBest quarterback at OTAs yesterday from what I heard\u2014and I talked to twenty people that were there\u2014consensus best quarterback: Joe Flacco. Consensus second-best: Shedeur Sanders,\u201d Goldhammer said on <em>The Really Big Show<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_lli3xoypz\">\u201cConsensus third: Dillon Gabriel. Consensus worst player at OTAs: Kenny Pickett.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HammerNation19?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@HammerNation19<\/a>&#39;s ranking of Browns QBs at OTAs yesterday: <\/p>\n<p>1. Joe Flacco <br \/>2. Shedeur Sanders <br \/>3. Dillon Gabriel <br \/>4. Kenny Pickett <\/p>\n<p>&quot;Consensus worst player at OTAs&#8230; Kenny Pickett&quot; \ud83d\ude2f<\/p>\n<p>Thoughts? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/plHUgY99kB\">pic.twitter.com\/plHUgY99kB<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ESPNCleveland\/status\/1928087274668896513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 29, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_pl4s7j4ne\">While it\u2019s important to keep in mind that OTAs are limited-contact sessions, the early buzz surrounding Sanders adds a fascinating twist to an already crowded quarterback room.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_lfgw1i8uf\">It may also lend some credence to the theory floated by Mike Florio on <em>Pro Football Talk<\/em>, who predicted this week that Pickett could be on the trading block.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_5xr8nrm79\">\u201cPut me down, for they are going to trade Kenny Pickett before camp,\u201d Florio said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been trying to boost Kenny Pickett. There have been some reports about how he\u2019s looked so good in the offseason program\u2014and I think they want somebody to call about Kenny Pickett.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"\" data-mm-id=\"_ykm1xw4u6\">\n<figure data-id=\"_ykm1xw4u6\" data-mm-type=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,w_3000,h_2000,x_0,y_147\/c_fill,w_620,ar_3:2,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/ImagnImages\/mmsport\/buffs_beat\/01jwepnbb6n8zxny07ws.jpg\" alt=\"Shedeur Sanders Gains Momentum in Cleveland Browns' Quarterback Battle\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_pk25mexuu\">According to reports, Sanders took the fewest team reps on Day 2 of OTAs but made the most of them\u2014finishing 7-of-9 with three touchdowns. Flacco, the perceived front-runner, completed 9-of-14 with one touchdown and, by most accounts, looked sharp.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_abv64j08q\">Gabriel, the third-round rookie out of Oregon, went 11-of-16 with two touchdowns and one interception off a deflection at the line. Pickett, who tied Gabriel for the most reps, went 9-of-16 without a touchdown.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Browns practice is in the books. Here\u2019s how all 4 QBs stacked up with their throwing reps in team drills \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udc40 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NsIZmjQSy3\">pic.twitter.com\/NsIZmjQSy3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ESPNCleveland\/status\/1927787449289224561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 28, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_qznnfvrx5\">For Sanders, the numbers support what many saw during his rise at Colorado: sharp timing, pinpoint accuracy, and elite decision-making.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_r24bqygqq\">The qualities that defined his football career in Boulder\u2014where he set more than 100 school records and graduated with the highest completion percentage in FBS history at 71.8 percent\u2014are already beginning to show at the pro level.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_r24bqygqq\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,w_1316,h_1974,x_206,y_153\/c_fill,w_620,ar_2:3,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/ImagnImages\/mmsport\/buffs_beat\/01jweph20wjbj8fd4d1g.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_1z9irek5b\">Still, context matters. These are 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 installs in May\u2014glorified walkthroughs compared to full-speed football.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_mpb6eh5gm\">The pads aren\u2019t on. No one is getting hit yet, so the pressure is minimized.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_jh4shtpsx\">But in a quarterback room with Flacco, Pickett, Gabriel, and a soon-returning Deshaun Watson, every rep is a chance to earn trust.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_jh4shtpsx\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,w_3898,h_2598,x_0,y_43\/c_fill,w_620,ar_3:2,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/ImagnImages\/mmsport\/buffs_beat\/01jwepjpj3zk2sq9ktgq.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_k3mfk745h\">And for a fifth-round rookie carrying high expectations and an even higher profile, Sanders is handling the moment with the same quiet confidence that made him a must-watch in Boulder.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_l56z2act6\">The Browns\u2019 quarterback competition is far from settled. But over the first two days of OTAs, Shedeur Sanders has shown he deserves to be part of the conversation.<\/p>\n<p data-mm-id=\"_o5xrcpg4g\">The buzz surrounding the rookie from Colorado is growing louder\u2014and more people are starting to realize it\u2019s not just hype.<\/p>\n<figure data-mm-id=\"_90nonr78p\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Cleveland Browns\u2019 quarterback battle has quickly become one of the NFL\u2019s most intriguing offseason storylines.  Primarily thanks to Colorado Buffaloes&#8217; form<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cleveland-browns"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING : Shedeur Sanders Gains Momentum in Cleveland Browns\u2019 Quarterback Battle - Breaking News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=24406\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING : Shedeur Sanders Gains Momentum in Cleveland Browns\u2019 Quarterback Battle - Breaking News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Cleveland Browns\u2019 quarterback battle has quickly become one of the NFL\u2019s most intriguing offseason storylines. 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