The Cleveland Browns are one of the most intriguing teams to watch this season as training camp unfolds and their quarterback battle intensifies. While a final decision is still some time away, it appears Shedeur Sanders may already be on the outside looking in.
“I was told from somebody that’s in the building, that ain’t a player, it’s really coming down to Kenny Pickett or Dillon Gabriel,” TJ Houshmandzadeh said. “That’s what I was told.”
Sanders still seems likely to earn a roster spot, but it’s going to be an uphill battle for the rookie. He has been on the Toronto Argonauts’ negotiation list, but a move to the CFL won’t happen unless he’s cut. According to Sports Illustrated’s Matthew Schmidt, that outcome doesn’t seem likely.
“While there is no guarantee that Sanders will be a smashing success for the Browns right off the bat, it also seems incredibly hard to imagine the signal-caller heading to play football in Canada. Barring a drastic turn of events, it just isn’t happening. Right now, Sanders is battling with three other quarterbacks for the starting job in Cleveland, and he seems rather unlikely to be under center heading into Week 1. We all understand that. But it doesn’t mean that Sanders will suddenly be banished from the NFL,” Schmidt wrote.
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick also weighed in on the Browns’ quarterback situation — and offered a surprising prediction.
“If I was a betting man, Joe Flacco is gonna go into the year as the starter,” Fitzpatrick said. “He has history there, he has success there, and I think it’s a great story. He’s a guy that’ll bring calm, he’s the guy that’s going to be able to get them off on the right foot,” Fitzpatrick said. “As the season goes along, when you draft guys early, and when you have young exciting guys, they’re excited for Gabriel, we could see him inserted into the lineup.”
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Dillon Gabriel is starting to turn heads with his performance in camp, drawing praise. While Sanders was seen by many as the higher-upside prospect coming out of college, there’s clearly something Gabriel is doing better at this stage of the competition. That doesn’t mean Sanders can’t start at some point, but for now, he’s got ground to make up.