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The Cleveland Browns may just have the most intriguing quarterback room in all of football.
Already with the controversial and injured QB in Deshaun Watson and veteran Joe Flacco, plus offseason trade pickup Kenny Pickett, the Browns shored up their depth in the position by drafting not one, but two signal-callers in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Browns made a head-turning move to move down in the first round of the draft from No. 2 to No. 5 before using the fifth pick on defensive tackle Mason Graham of the Michigan Wolverines.
They did not draft a QB until the third round, where they took Oregon Ducks product Dillon Gabriel. Two rounds later, in the fifth, the Browns ended the excruciating wait of former Colorado Buffaloes star Shedeur Sanders by taking him 144th overall.
Will one of Sanders and Gabriel turn into a star in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns?
Only one can be the Browns’ Week 1 starter in 2025, and it’s unlikely to be either Sanders or Gabriel. The decision to take two quarterbacks in the draft also prompted the simple question about why Cleveland did so.
An NFL team executive weighed in on the subject and provided an interesting explanation.
“The hit rate is so bad on quarterbacks [that] if you can have two at-bats instead of one, I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” one NFC executive told Yahoo Sports.
In two seasons with the Buffaloes, Sanders passed for 7,364 yards and 64 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Meanwhile, Gabriel threw for 18,722 passing yards and 155 touchdowns against 32 picks through 64 games for three different programs, namely the UCF Knights, Oklahoma Sooners and Oregon Ducks.
More must-reads:
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Cowboys' undrafted rookie is already proving the NFL world it was wrong about him and preseason hasn't even started yet
Michigan State Pushing for Brother of Commit
'This Group Has Been Great': New Indiana Basketball Culture Rooted in Energy, Enthusiasm
When Indiana men's basketball began its hour-long, open-to-media practice July 30 at Cook Hall, the sudden outburst of claps and energetic yells was almost startling. It felt unsustainable for an entire practice, especially one which featured an abundance of 5-on-5 periods, sprints and defensive-oriented drills — and still ended five minutes early. Yet the new-look Hoosiers never wavered. It wasn't a facade for a day in front of the media. The practice, Indiana head coach Darian DeVries said, was par for the course — and an introduction to the new Indiana basketball culture. "I think this group has been great," DeVries told Indiana Hoosiers On SI in his press conference. "We're two months into it, but they've been terrific in terms of their approach every day. They come with a smile on their face. They bring great energy. What you saw today has been every day these last couple of months. "They come with that type of energy, enthusiasm. Their voices are heard. We want a loud gym. And that's something I think they've done a great job of responding to and bringing every day." Indiana's practice jerseys flip inside out, one side colored red and the other white. There were several competitive 5-on-5 periods of starters red-jersey versus white-jersey rotational players, and a blend of the two against graduate assistants, practice players and walk-ons. But the competitiveness never fostered outward frustration. It never crossed the line. It was fueled by the right ingredients of a culture built on character. "I think the guys have been awesome to work with this summer," DeVries said. "They've done a great job of just being receptive to coaching. They're all trying to do what we ask, and that's all we ask of them. They're not going to be perfect. We don't expect them to be perfect. "But the progress they've made from June until now has been really good. I've been really happy with it. I think they're going to continue to do that because I think they want to. They've got great togetherness, they've got great energy and enthusiasm." One of Indiana's warmup drills centered around drive-and-kick passes. Players catch a pass, drive toward the rim, jump-stop and spread the ball to the perimeter before the cycle repeats. Over and over again. Outside of the drill, DeVries has been impressed by his team's selflessness. He said the group shares the ball well, a particularly key trait for a roster with several players who were ball-dominant scoring options at previous destinations. The Hoosiers have shot-making versatility, DeVries said, as they can score from a variety of spots on the floor. They're further ahead offensively than defensively at this stage of the summer. Indiana has already found efficiency and productivity in its practices. Due to their three-game series in Puerto Rico, the Hoosiers secured 10 additional practice periods, and DeVries is pleased with the way his team has maximized its time together. That sentiment applies as much to Indiana's skill and chemistry development as its culture, and each characteristic blends together to give the Hoosiers a strong summer foundation. "From June all the way until the end of the season, it's a long year. We think you've got to approach it every day with some energy and enthusiasm," DeVries said. "Guys are going to get tired. It allows other guys to pick you up on those days. So we put a huge emphasis on that. "I think creating that type of talk and energy on a daily basis leads to productivity on the floor, too. And then the pace that we practice, we try to really kind of simulate how we want to play out on the game day floor." DeVries wants his team to play fast, aggressive and keep the pace of play moving. His practices don't have much downtime, and there's minimal talking off to the side or between drills. There were two or three water breaks that spanned one minute during the open-to-media session. If Indiana can translate its pace and efficiency from practice to games, DeVries feels his first Hoosier squad can reach intriguing heights. "I like the potential of this group, and they'll continue to work, which they have," DeVries said. "I think there's certainly some possibilities there on what this group can achieve."
Saints quarterback has 'convincing lead' in training camp battle
The New Orleans Saints' three-way quarterback competition is narrowing before the team's first preseason contest against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Per Ross Jackson of Louisiana Sports, second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler has looked the best at training camp this summer, going 83-of-114 passing (72.8 percent) for eight touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and four interceptions. Rattler is beating out rookie Tyler Shough. The second-round pick has completed just 62 percent of his passes for five touchdowns and three interceptions. 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Haener has completed 69.6 percent of his passes for five touchdowns and one Interception. Jackson believes first-year head coach Kellen Moore is priming Rattler as the favorite to start in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals. "Over the team’s 10 practices, these three young passers have seen their chance to earn the starting role to begin the season in a rotation of first-team reps," Jackson wrote. "But there are decisions the Saints have made in the process that indicate a favorite. "After looking over individual performance stats, practice rep distribution and the team’s treatment of each quarterback throughout the important and highly-productive scrimmages on camp day 10, it’s become clear that Rattler is comfortably in the lead, for now." Jackson thinks Rattler can fend off his "convincing lead" for the starting job if he plays competently against the Chargers on Sunday. Rattler feels like the safe choice for Moore over Shough and Haener, at least to start the regular season. He appeared in seven games and started in six in 2024. Rattler played inconsistently as a rookie, throwing four touchdowns to five interceptions. However, he's had time to develop. Given his numbers in training camp, Rattler appears to be the most polished quarterback before the regular season. Shough could eventually develop into the Saints' best option, but the rookie's completion percentage against friendly competition at camp is low before he even faces live action in the preseason.
Report: Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with Bucks is still uncertain
The Milwaukee Bucks were one of the most active teams in the early days of the NBA offseason. From signing Myles Turner to moving on from Damian Lillard, Doc Rivers' team didn't rest on its laurels early on. And while the front office has gone to great lengths to shut down all rumors of Giannis Antetokounmpo's discontent, ESPN insider Shams Charania reported they're not in the clear yet. On Monday's edition of "Get Up," Charania pointed out that Antetokounmpo is still considering all his options. "We're standing here, it's Aug. 4. Sources tell me there's still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee or whether he will be leaving," Charania said. "And so, he's going to continue to evaluate his future." He added that Giannis might still decide that the doesn't want to be there and force his way out this offseason, which would be a huge blow for a team that just waived-and-stretched the $113 million left on Lillard's contract. "They did that because they wanted to show Giannis, we're doing everything in our power to keep you here. But Giannis Antetokounmpo is the ultimate decider whether he feels this roster is good enough," Charania added. Giannis has always talked about winning the right way and staying loyal to the organization, but he's also been visibly frustrated with the early playoff exits and has been open about his desire to win another championship. He might want to give this new core a chance to show him that it can compete at the highest level. But if they get off to another slow start to the season, he may want to reconsider his options.
The 'Four+ 20-home run/20-stolen base MLB seasons' quiz
Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodriguez hit the 100th home run of his career against the Texas Rangers on Sunday, and it was an important one. His two-run home run came in a 5-4 victory over the Rangers to give Seattle an important series win for both the American League West and Wild Card standings. It was also his 20th dinger of the season, giving him a historic fourth-consecutive 20-home run/20 stolen base season to start his MLB career. Which brings us to today’ quiz. Rodriguez became the first player in MLB history to reach the 20/20 milestone four times in the first four seasons of his career. With that being said, can you name every player in MLB history to have at least four career 20/20 seasons? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
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