Shedeur Sanders is in a four-way battle for a starting quarterback job

SHEDEUR Sanders apparently has an unlikely mentor at the Cleveland Browns.

Sanders, 23, is in a four-way battle for the Browns’ starting quarterback job.

Advertisement

2 Shedeur Sanders has been given some help by Deshaun Watson in Cleveland Credit: Reuters

2 Deshaun Watson is currently working his way back from surgery Credit: Reuters

And the fifth-round NFL Draft pick has reportedly got some help from the man he’s trying to replace.

According to Cleveland.com, Deshaun Watson has taken Sanders under his wing.

Watson, 29, will likely miss the entire 2025 season after tearing his Achilles.

He has two years left on his current contract worth $230 million.

Advertisement

But he faces an uncertain future after the injury and his off-the-field issues.

Watson was accused of sexual assault by more than 20 women.

He has settled most civil cases which were filed against him in the summer of 2022.

But the quarterback has been a big supporter of the four players bidding for the starting job.

Advertisement

Veteran Joe Flacco, 40, is the front runner to be starting quarterback in week one.

He faces competition from Kenny Pickett, 26, who was acquired in a trade this offseason.

Shedeur Sanders Surges Ahead in Cleveland Browns QB Battle

Sanders and third-round NFL Draft selection Dillon Gabriel are also in the battle.

“Watson has been an awesome teammate inside the quarterback room and meeting rooms,” the Cleveland.com report said.

Advertisement

“He’s been a great cheerleader for the four quarterbacks vying for the starting job.

“He’s been especially helpful to the rookies in Gabriel and Sanders, who are working overtime to remain in the starting mix.”

Watson suffered an Achilles injury in October 2024.

He had fallen out of favor with some Browns fans, who cheered the development.

Advertisement

Deion Sanders backed Watson to fight back after the injury.

According to Cleveland.com, Watson is “only too happy to repay the favor” to his son Shedeur.

The former Houston Texans player could’ve played his last game for the Browns.

Owner Jimmy Haslam said recently that the Browns “took a big swing and miss” with their decision to trade for him.

KENNY PICKETT is being tipped for an exit from the Cleveland Browns – just months after joining.

The NFL organization currently have four active quarterbacks on the depth chart.

3 Kenny Pickett is fighting for a spot on the Browns roster Credit: AP

3 The QB is part of a four-man quarterback group in Cleveland Credit: AP

3 Shedeur Sanders is currently fourth on the depth chart Credit: Getty

Cleveland drafted two rookie QBs in April’s NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Shedeur Sanders, a projected first-round pick, was selected by the Browns in the fifth round of the draft.

It came two rounds after the team selected fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Sanders is currently fourth on the team’s depth chart behind Gabriel and veterans Pickett and Joe Flacco.

Both rookies are being tipped to feature this season, with Browns QB1 Deshaun Watson out for the duration with a torn Achilles.

ESPN’s Pete Schrager believes Pickett, who is the final year of a $14million contract, could be the unlucky player who fails to make the cut.

“I would be surprised personally if both of those veteran quarterbacks are still on the roster come Week 1, and you have the two rookies,” Schrager told The Pat McAfee Show.

“You’ve got Flacco as your starter Week 1, [Sanders] or Gabriel as your backup, then you got one who’s not active, not dressed, but is obviously still on the team.”

Pickett was selected in the first round of the 2022 Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 27-year-old played two years as a starter for the Steelers, where he went 14-10.

Shock moment cop fails to recognize Cleveland Browns star Shedeur Sanders after being stopped for speeding

He requested a trade after the arrival of Russell Wilson to Pittsburgh last summer.

Pickett started just one game last season for the Philadelphia Eagles before a trade to the Browns in March.

Sanders meanwhile is out to prove his doubters wrong after slipping to the fifth round in April.

The former Colorado Buffalo has been cited twice for speeding in his car this month.

Schrager believes this is a “very important” year for the 23-year-old.

NFL WEEK 1 SCHEDULE (All times ET) Thur 4 Sept

8.20 pm – Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles Fri 5 Sept

8pm – Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers Sun 7 Sept

1pm – Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons

1pm – Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns

1pm – Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts

1pm – Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots

1pm – Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints

1pm – Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets

1pm – New York Giants at Washington Commanders

1pm – Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars

4.05 pm – Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos

4.05 pm – San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

4.25 pm – Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

4.25 pm – Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams

8.20 pm – Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills Mon 8 Sept

8.15 pm – Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

And he believes both rookies will get their chance to shine – with Pickett likely to be looking for a new team come August.

“I know that this year is going to be very important for Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, and the reason is they’re both third-round and fifth-round picks,” Schrager continued.

“When you have two first-round picks of teams that are not necessarily expected to be Super Bowl contenders, quarterback is always going to be looming in every conversation.

“So I think [the Browns] are gonna wanna get those guys action — Gabriel and Sanders.”

‘Shedeur Sanders could become the franchise quarterback that the Cleveland Browns desperately need.

But while Deion Sanders’ son dominates NFL offseason news, an internal clock could already be ticking on the fifth-round draft pick.

3 Shedeur Sanders could be fighting for his roster spot the next two seasons Credit: Getty

Longtime Cleveland Browns insider Tony Grossi exclusively told talkSPORT that the organization is balancing the upcoming 2025 campaign with a potential franchise-changing draft in 2026.

Arch Manning (Texas), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and Drew Allar (Penn State) top the early list of potential draft arms.

Grossi expects Sanders to eventually start for the Browns this year, even with four QBs currently on the depth chart and Deshaun Watson and his $230 million contract still part of the team.

But no matter what Sanders does on the field this season, a QB-heavy draft in 2026 might ultimately guide the Browns’ future.

“They have two first-round picks now in the 2026 draft as a result of trading with Jacksonville,” said Grossi, Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand and 850 ESPN Cleveland.

“It’s going to be an epic quarterback draft. I tell my listeners, ‘Probably the future quarterback is in next year’s draft, to be honest with you, because it’s supposed to be really good.’

“And there are a bunch of guys – there are more than one. You don’t have to end up with the No. 1 pick in the draft next year to get a good quarterback. If you’re in the top 10, there are going to be enough to go around because other teams with quarterbacks will clutter that up.”

Cleveland finished 3-14 last year and was one of the worst teams in the NFL, while using Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe at QB.

The Browns’ projected win total for the 2025 season is five, according to multiple sites, which means that Cleveland could hold a top pick in the ‘26 draft.

The Jaguars were 4-13 last year, and traded a 2026 first-rounder to the Browns to take Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter in the recent draft.

3 NFL teams are already lining up to draft Arch Manning Credit: Getty

3 But Joe Flacco and Sanders are focused on winning with the Browns this year Credit: Getty

The Chosen One? Shedeur Sanders Age: 23

Vitals: 6ft 2in, 215lb

College stats: 71.8 completion %, 7,364 yards, 64 TD, 13 INT, 160.4 rating

NFL Draft: No. 144 overall pick (fifth round) by Cleveland Browns

Depth chart: 4th (Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel)

Grossi on Sanders: “The Browns in the pre-draft process had no problem with the Shedeur Sanders experience. They are not one of the teams who thought he had an attitude.”

If Cleveland and Jacksonville struggle again this year, the Browns could possess two high picks – and potentially trade both selections to leap up to No. 1, which is where Manning will likely be taken.

The Browns’ focus on the 2026 draft was also recently shared by ESPN’s Peter Schrager.

“I know that this year is going to be very important for Shedeur and Dillon Gabriel, and the reason is they’re both third-round and fifth-round picks,” Schrager said on the Pat McAfee Show.

“When you have two first-round picks of teams that are not necessarily expected to be Super Bowl contenders, quarterback is always going to be looming in every conversation. So I think (the Browns) are going to want to get those guys action — Gabriel and Sanders.”

Grossi has Sanders listed fourth on Cleveland’s current depth chart, and expects veteran Joe Flacco to be the team’s Week 1 starter.

“We in Cleveland went on a magic carpet ride with Joe Flacco in 2023,” Grossi said.

Shedeur Sanders issues four-word response to whether he’ll be Browns starting QB over Joe Flacco

“He came onto the team and, late November, the Browns were in the middle of a playoff chase and he put up incredible numbers – instant 300-yard passing games. They won four out of his five starts.”

With some Cleveland teammates still feeling strongly about the 40-year-old Flacco’s best traits and remembering his inspiring success with the Browns, Sanders must overcome emotion and reason to take over.

Gabriel was drafted 50 picks before Sanders, while Kenny Pickett is a former first-rounder and won Super Bowl LIX while backing up Jalen Hurts on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Which means that Sanders is battling for the Browns’ top spot in 2025, and he could face an even tougher internal challenge if Cleveland tops the draft in 2026.

Gross acknowledged that Sanders is being pushed by a legion of social media-savvy fans, but the Browns insider praised the early view of the fifth-round pick from Colorado.

“Shedeur is a hard worker,” Grossi said.

“He’s been very coachable. The Browns in the pre-draft process had no problem with the Shedeur Sanders experience. They are not one of the teams who thought he had an attitude. They loved him, which is one of the reasons they ended up taking him, even though they had taken Dillon Gabriel 50 spots earlier.”

If Flacco initially starts for the Browns, he’ll lead the team on Sunday, September 7 at home in a season opener against Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals.

Sanders could appear on the field in London on Sunday, October 5, when Cleveland faces J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as part of the NFL’s International Series.

The Browns rookie was back in the news on Thursday after receiving a ticket for driving 101 mph.