Browns QB race "wide open" with Shedeur Sanders being the "hardest option" for Cleveland's front office: Insider

The Cleveland Browns have five quarterbacks on their roster, including Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, who were both brought in through the 2025 NFL draft. The team's quarterback room also includes Deshaun Watson (currently injured), Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the battle to be the starting quarterback is still "wide open." On the Rich Eisen Show, Pelissero said that Sanders has the most difficult, though not impossible, route to climb the depth chart.

"The hardest thing the Browns can do is to start one of the rookies, just because we're talking about guys that came in the third and fifth round," Pelissero said. "In Shedeur Sanders' case, he comes in behind just in terms of the type of offense and the way that they geared it towards him at Colorado and the number of negative plays that he had.

"We know he's very tough and he's very accurate. But you're talking about asking a guy to do things that he didn't have to do at the college level. And if you really put Shedeur on the field, are you really setting him up for success knowing that there's a growth process that he needs to go through here?”

Sanders is inevitably at a disadvantage to win the Cleveland QB1 competition because he was selected in the fifth round. Pelissero adds that the quarterback will be in a new situation in the NFL, different from what he was used to in college.

Sanders had a successful season with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024, passing for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. He has a lot of potential, even though he still needs to develop as a player. However, he needs to show his abilities during training camp and the preseason in order to have a shot at starting for the Browns this season.

Shedeur Sanders’ recent off-field issue has been mentioned as a setback in the quarterback race

Tom Pelissero thinks Shedeur Sanders still has to go through a growth process in the NFL, especially in the wake of his recent speeding ticket for overspeeding.

The ex-Colorado Buffaloes quarterback was issued a ticket on Tuesday for exceeding the speed limit by driving 101 miles per hour in a 60 mph zone in Strongsville, Ohio.

Pelissero used this incident as a talking point to explain why Sanders might be the player most at a disadvantage in the battle for the starting quarterback position for the Browns.

"There was news made of him getting a speeding ticket for going 101 miles per hour," Pelissero added. "What I've heard of him being in the building have all been positive. All that stuff has been good, but the questions (before the draft) were about what he's going to do outside of the environment of having his dad with him all the time. How's he going to do with different accountability structures here."

Many clubs ignored Sanders at the draft two months ago for various reasons, but the Browns opted to take a chance on him. Pelissero suggests that while Shedeur spent his college career playing under his dad, Deion Sanders, the quarterback must now assume responsibility and be more accountable in the NFL, where his dad is not present to guide him.