Football practice cut short for Shedeur Sanders due to shoulder injury; backup quarterback recovers from injury and steps in
Cleveland Browns Quarterback Battle Heats Up Ahead of Preseason
The Cleveland Browns' quarterback room is shaping up to be an intriguing battle as the team prepares for their first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers this Friday.
Shedeur Sanders, a fifth-round pick by the Browns, has been turning heads during training camp with impressive performances in drills. According to ESPN Cleveland's tracking stats, Sanders has posted higher completion percentages and touchdown passes than Kenny Pickett, the team's second-string quarterback, through nine practices.
However, the official depth chart for the 2025 season lists Pickett ahead of Sanders, with Joe Flacco as the starter and Dillon Gabriel as the third-string quarterback. This suggests that for now, the team favors Pickett, a former first-round pick, over Sanders.
The Browns' coaching staff will have a tough decision to make regarding who to start in the preseason game. They may opt to give Pickett game experience, while also evaluating Sanders in limited snaps to validate his practice performance.
Sanders faced the first-team defense for the first time earlier this week, and if healthy, he will get his first taste of game action on Friday. However, Sanders has been dealing with shoulder soreness and missed team drills recently.
The Browns' quarterback room experienced a change on Saturday with the acquisition of Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles. Pickett injured his hamstring but returned to practice on Friday in a limited capacity.
Two other players, Greg Newsome and Myles Garrett, were absent from the day's practice.
It's worth noting that it was general manager Andrew Berry who made the call to draft Shedeur Sanders. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam expressed surprise when he found out the team was drafting Sanders, but he did make a statement about the decision on Tuesday.
Deshaun Watson, the team's starting quarterback, is currently rehabbing from a twice-torn Achilles and is not expected to play in the preseason.
As the Browns continue to prepare for the preseason, the quarterback battle between Sanders and Pickett will be one to watch. With Sanders outperforming Pickett in practice, it remains to be seen whether the team's coaching staff will make a change to the depth chart. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
[1] ESPN Cleveland - Sanders outperforming Pickett in practice according to ESPN Cleveland's tracking stats [2] Cleveland Browns - Official depth chart for the 2025 season [3] Cleveland Plain Dealer - Jimmy Haslam expresses surprise over the drafting of Shedeur Sanders
Sanders' impressive practice performances in football drills have given the Cleveland Browns a dilemma, as ESPN Cleveland's tracking stats show his performance surpassing Kenny Pickett, the team's second-string American-football quarterback. Despite this, the official depth chart for the upcoming NFL season still lists Pickett ahead of Sanders, indicating the Browns currently favor Pickett, a former first-round pick, over Sanders.
