Browns quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders (12), Kenny Pickett (8) and Joe Flacco (15) talk during minicamp, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Berea. Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders' Strong Cleveland Browns Minicamp Makes Kevin Stefanski's Life Tough

Originally posted on Colorado Buffaloes on SI
By Jack Carlough | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 8:52 AM ET

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski may reflect on this past week's mandatory minicamp with more questions than answers regarding his four-man starting quarterback competition. Rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel both performed well, but can they progress enough to leap veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco?

Due to his status of being a fifth-round NFL Draft pick, Sanders arguably has the toughest path to becoming the Browns' starting quarterback next season. While Stefanski urged the media to avoid looking into his quarterback rep distribution, the former Colorado Buffaloes star didn't receive any first-team reps during OTAs and mandatory minicamp.

Sanders was arguably Cleveland's best quarterback in mandatory minicamp and OTAs, however. According to ESPN Cleveland's tracker, Sanders led all four quarterbacks in team drill completion percentage (77.4) and touchdown passes (nine) during the five open-to-the-media practices. The youngest son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders also stayed after practice multiple times to work on throws and build chemistry with his new receivers.

NFL insider Jeremy Fowler recently shared some interesting thoughts on Stefanski's quarterback dilemma while appearing on ESPN's "SportsCenter."

"This was fascinating because I was told Kevin Stefanski's plan for his four quarterbacks in OTAs and minicamp was to try and get a lot of different guys different touches in different situations," Fowler said. "They all really answered the bill, including Sanders, who showed the ability to put the ball into some tight windows. He threw with aggressiveness and took some chances, so they like where he sits."

Fowler then explained that Cleveland's quarterback competition will elevate in training camp, which means Stefanski must seriously begin thinking about where Sanders fits into his depth chart.

"Now Stefanski has to formulate a plan in training camp that's probably a little more crystalized, maybe has a little bit of a depth chart to it," Fowler said. "They are not there yet, but Sanders has made an impression, there's no doubt."

For those who watched Sanders play at Jackson State and Colorado, him making a strong first impression in the NFL comes as no surprise. Sanders threw for 14,353 yards and 134 touchdowns in his four college seasons while completing over 70 percent of his passes. This past season, he led the Buffs to nine wins and was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

"He's a very, very hard worker," Stefanski said of Sanders on the "Cleveland Browns Daily" podcast. "He has fun when he's in the building. I'm enjoying watching him progress with every single meeting, with every single rep he's doing a great job. As a young player — I don't care what position you're playing — you're going to run a play or you're going to get something wrong. That's so valuable because then you get to correct it and get it right the next time."

This article first appeared on Colorado Buffaloes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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