Days after reports of Shedeur Sanders accepting new Browns reality, rookie QB makes feelings known on Joe Flacco

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has publicly expressed admiration for veteran teammate Joe Flacco. This came just days after reports suggested he's coming to terms with his position in the team's crowded quarterback room.

Shedeur, the No. 144 pick this year and son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, finds himself competing with four other quarterbacks on Cleveland's roster. Alongside him are Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and injured starter Deshaun Watson.

During an appearance on Kay Adams' show "Up & Adams," Sanders opened up about the dynamics inside the Browns quarterback room.

"I'll say we all different characters. It's funny going there and seeing Joe (Flacco) every day," Sanders said on Wednesday. "It's funny seeing (Flacco) because at first I'm like, wow, I'm really with Joe Flacco right now. We're on the same team. So that's cool."

Sanders' comments come after a Sports Illustrated report by NFL writer Albert Breer on Tuesday. It suggested the rookie is "starting to settle in as a guy who knows he'll have to earn just the chance to compete to get on the field in 2025."

Shedeur Sanders isn't falling into negativity and tension

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Joe Flacco has been paired with Shedeur Sanders to split third and fourth-team practice repetitions. According to Sanders, Flacco has taken on a mentorship role, offering valuable advice to him.

Sanders also dismissed any notion of tension within the quarterback group, despite the intense competition for playing time.

"Everybody's cool in the room," Sanders said on Wednesday, via 'Up & Adams.' "You know, outside the room, people try to put us against each other, but inside the room, we know we (are) one."

Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot wrote that former first-round pick Kenny Pickett and rookie Dillon Gabriel will share first and second-team reps as the team opens OTAs. This will leave Sanders spending most of his time with the third and fourth units with Flacco.

Sanders' drop to the fifth round is still one of the more shocking narratives of the draft, especially considering his statistical production at Colorado last year. The former Buffaloes quarterback had strong numbers in 2024, throwing for 4,134 yards with 41 total touchdowns and a 74.0% completion rate.

Those statistics outpaced Gabriel's work at Oregon (3,857 passing yards, 37 total touchdowns, 72.9% completion rate).

Despite the uncertain path to playing time, Sanders has maintained a confident approach while acknowledging the realities of his situation.

"My job here isn't to prove people wrong, I'm proving myself right," Sanders said on May 10, via CBS Sports. "I fully believe it. What those people say, that's just their opinions. I don't truly care. They don't really live in my mental space about that type of stuff. It really doesn't do anything for me."

Cleveland's quarterback competition will intensify in the coming weeks, with OTA workout dates scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday next week and June 3-5. This is followed by a mandatory veteran minicamp June 10-12.