Shedeur Sanders On Pace To Take Over As Cleveland Browns' Starting Quarterback

Former NFL safety Tyvis Powell spoke on 92.3 The Fan, agreeing Flacco is the current favorite to start. Powell emphasized what stands between Flacco and the other quarterbacks is his NFL history.

“If the season was starting next week, I’d star Joe Flacco because he gives you the best chance to win. He’s the guy that knows the playbook the best. He’s worked with Kevin Stefanski, he’s worked with the guys that’s been in that huddle, so he’s obviously your best chance to win,” Powell said. 

Powell went on to leave room for a change at the position. Powell argues that while Flacco can start the season and play well, history has shown that the team could move on from him after a couple of weeks. Sanders has proved he is a talented athlete during his time with the Colorado Buffaloes and could be the guy to take over for Flacco.

“He’s going to give you that spark, it only lasts for so long, and then he will fall off a cliff. Knowing that, you have to make sure you have somebody ready after about five or six games that you’re comfortable with going into the game,” Powell explained. “If you’re going off talent alone, then you would go with Shedeur Sanders.”

Sanders spent two seasons with the Colorado Buffaloes, improving each season. In 2024, Sanders passed for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns. He threw only 10 interceptions in the year. While he will have to improve on knowing when to end a play instead of taking too many sacks, that is something the veterans in the room, such as Flacco, can help him work through.

Sanders entered the draft preparations as a projected first-round pick. While he fell to the fifth round, there is still excitement surrounding Sanders and his future in the NFL.

“Teammates will be excited for that. He will raise the play of the people around him. The energy, the excitement. Not just for the people on the field, the fanbase as well,” Powell said. “I think a lot of fans are interested in seeing what Shedeur Sanders is doing. Obviously you hear all these rumors about guys talking about how amazing he looks in practice. Problem is, he still hasn’t taken reps with the ones to my knowledge.”

During the five open practices, ESPN Cleveland’s tracker showed how well Sanders has done in drills. Sanders finished minicamp with a 77.4 percent completion rate and nine touchdown passes. In addition to Flacco, Sanders is competing with veteran quarterback Kenny Pickett and rookie Dillon Gabriel.

While Sanders may not be the week one starter for the Browns, as he continues to work during training camp and practices, he could take over the offense in 2025.