How Browns reportedly view Shedeur Sanders early into training camp

Rookie Shedeur Sanders clearly began the final Monday of July as the Cleveland Browns' fourth-choice quarterback behind veteran Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel. 

For a piece published on Monday, Browns reporter Zac Jackson of The Athletic suggested that Cleveland fans hoping Sanders could get the nod for the team's Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals should probably put such dreams to bed before August arrives. 

"I feel zero urgency from the folks in charge to treat Sanders as anything but a talented, developmental-type prospect, and I truly believe the team is open to multiple scenarios — internally and externally — depending on how things go in August," Jackson wrote.

Jackson shared that update after team insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said on a recent edition of the "Orange and Brown Talk Podcast" that she doesn't envision either Sanders or Gabriel finishing the preseason atop the depth chart as long as either Flacco or Pickett can play against Cincinnati. ESPN's Adam Schefter (h/t Daniel Oyefusi) reported on Sunday that Pickett "injured his hamstring near the end of Saturday's practice and is expected to be reevaluated later this week." Thus, Jackson now believes Flacco has a "75 percent" chance to emerge as Cleveland's Week 1 starter. 

Flacco won four of five starts to guide the 2023 Browns to the playoffs, and he's the only active Cleveland quarterback who has played in the offense run by head coach Kevin Stefanski. That said, ESPN's Dan Graziano revealed on Monday that he thinks Pickett will win the starting job because the Browns "acquired him in early March...before they knew whether they would bring back Flacco or select a single quarterback -- let alone two -- in the draft." 

Numerous outsiders assumed shortly before the draft got underway on April 24 that Sanders was a first-round talent. However, his alleged handling of the predraft process resulted in the Browns being able to get him with overall pick No. 144.

Some within the Browns reportedly "want" Pickett to win the job over Flacco, in part because Pickett will be 27 years old through the entire 2025 season. Meanwhile, Flacco will turn 41 in January. 

Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand pointed out that Pickett could recover from his setback in "three weeks" if it's determined that the signal-caller is dealing with a mild Grade 1 hamstring strain. If the injury is more severe, Stefanski and Co. could start getting Flacco ready to face the Bengals on Sept. 7 sooner than some imagined as recently as Saturday morning.