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What Shedeur Sanders reportedly is working on amid Browns' QB competition
It remains to be seen if Shedeur Sanders will truly be given "a path" to win the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback job as part of a four-way summer competition that will also feature fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, veteran Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.
For a piece updated on Friday morning, Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer explained why fans clamoring for the club to prepare Sanders to serve as the team's Week 1 QB1 should pump the brakes ahead of Cleveland's three-day mandatory minicamp that's set to run from June 10-12.
"At Colorado, he took too many sacks — an FBS-high 94 in two seasons — and drifted backwards too often when the ball should’ve been thrown to a target or tossed away," Cabot wrote about Sanders. "At times, he needed to let a play die with perhaps less regard for his FBS-high 74 percent completion percentage. Sanders throws with great anticipation and was arguably the most accurate quarterback in the class. But even he knows he must reduce the negative plays to succeed at this level and is working very hard to do so."
Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees noted on June 4 that Sanders has "done a nice job" this spring working on "the mental side of the game and learning the system and calling it and having that rhythm to it." Observers pointed out that Sanders allegedly performed better than Cleveland's other three quarterbacks during this past Wednesday's practice session.
Nevertheless, FanDuel Sportsbook continued to list Sanders as a +310 betting underdog to win the Week 1 starting job as of Friday afternoon. Flacco was the favorite at +116 odds at that time, followed by Pickett at +230. Gabriel was a distant fourth at +1060.
Flacco and head coach Kevin Stefanski guided the 2023 Browns to four wins over five games to secure a berth in that campaign's postseason tournament. It's thought Flacco's experience in Stefanski's offense gives the one-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player an advantage over Cleveland's other active signal-callers, but Cabot indicated Sanders will receive opportunities to close the gap later this summer.
"If Sanders continues to progress at his current clip, he’ll earn some first-team reps not only against the Browns defense but that of the Panthers and Super Bowl champion Eagles, both of whom the Browns will conduct joint practices with during (training) camp," Cabot added.
In short, it does sound like Sanders may be further along on June 6 than where the Browns thought he'd be at this stage of his development. At some point, Stefanski and Co. may need to discuss if playing the 40-year-old Flacco is truly the best option for both the short-term and long-term futures of the organization.
More must-reads:
- Why Browns' Dillon Gabriel allegedly has a 'longer leash' than Shedeur Sanders
- Browns OC shares how Shedeur Sanders has performed in springtime workouts
- The 'NFL 100-sack club members' quiz
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Commanders flaw exposed in blowout preseason loss to Ravens
The Washington Commanders have a potentially significant problem on special teams. During Saturday's 30-3 preseason Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, kicker Matt Gay missed a 53-yard field goal wide left at the end of Washington's first offensive possession. Gay finished the preseason 3-of-5 on field goal attempts. He also missed a 49-yarder wide left in preseason Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Gay's struggles continue the chaotic journey for the Commanders at kicker. Last season's Week 1 starter, Cade York, went 0-of-2 in the opener and was promptly released. His replacement, Austin Seibert, was in the midst of a fantastic season through Week 9, going 25-of-27 on field goals and 22-of-22 on extra points before missing two weeks with a hip injury. He was later placed on injured reserve after missing three kicks in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, including a would-be tying extra point following a wild 86-yard touchdown with under a minute remaining. Zane Gonzalez and Greg Joseph combined to go 7-of-10 on field goals the rest of the season, including each missing a 50-yard attempt. Overall, Commanders kickers struggled from long distance, with the four combining to go 2-of-8 on attempts of 50 yards or more. Only the Philadelphia Eagles had a worse percentage (14.3%) on attempts of at least 50 yards, per Pro Football Reference data. Washington signed Gay to a one-year, $4.25M fully guaranteed contract in late April following the 2025 NFL Draft. Per CBS Sports, it's the largest guaranteed contract for a kicker on a one-year deal in NFL history. Last season while with the Indianapolis Colts, Gay was 3-of-9 on 50-yard field goals. The Commanders have the talent on offense to be one of the league's top scoring units, so they might not need to convert many tries from over 50 yards. Still, having a kicker who can reliably hit from that distance is an undeniable asset, particularly late in close games or on possessions that stall after crossing midfield. Washington largely has a roster capable of contending for a Super Bowl. But following its final tune-up before the regular season, kicking is a notable flaw.
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Chicago Bears star says coaches are 'overdoing' it at practice
The Chicago Bears roughed up their preseason opponents, the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins, at joint practices this month. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson said the coaching staff has been trying to walk the line of being aggressive but not going overboard. Sometimes the Bears are going too hard, overdoing it at times. “I mean, even (defensive coordinator) Dennis Allen, he’s telling defense we live every day in practice,” Johnson told Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson during an appearance on “Night Cap” Thursday night. “So just really that mentality, as far as going and playing physical is, like, really, just honestly overdoing it really is the thing… What we say, like, toe the line, toe the line line between going too far and really pushing the limits.” Jaylon Johnson notices a big difference in the 2025 Chicago Bears Johnson has missed much of training camp due to a leg injury. He missed the physical practice between the Dolphins and Bears that had Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald complaining about how Allen was coaching up his defense. Johnson said that the entire coaching staff under new head coach Ben Johnson wants a tough and physical culture like has been seen in recent years with the Detroit Lions. “We’re gonna execute,” Jaylon said. “And it’s like, nah, it’s just about whooping the guys in front of you, like, really, like dominating and instilling your will. And I think really just preaching that goes a long way. Because I feel like even in Detroit, for a long time, they didn’t have talented guys, but they had a lot of guys that had grit, as they like to say over there, and guys that work hard, that are tough, and things like that.” Johnson is embracing the change. The Bears should. Dan Campbell’s teams have been successful in recent years in Detroit. The culture is certainly better than the one that folded under Matt Eberflus last season.
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The Dallas Cowboys Offensive Line Rebuild is Complete
The dominant 2010s Dallas Cowboys offensive line is fully in the past; Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and Travis Frederick are all gone. We’ve seen the front office prepare and react to the end of that era, and it has paid off. Dallas’s offensive line rebuild is already complete. This preseason has featured the depth and player development efforts put into the offensive line, as late-round flyers have surprised and first-round picks have flexed their muscle with the starting unit. Going forward, the Cowboys’ team-building focus needs to shift elsewhere. The core of the offensive line has been built; now, it’s time to let them grow, develop, and shine. The Top Dogs: Guyton, Smith, Beebe, Booker Aside from 28-year-old Terence Steele, the starting Cowboys offensive line is all 24 and under. That is incredibly young for a position group that commonly features long-term veterans. The All-Pro on the left side, Tyler Smith, has cemented himself as one of the best guards in the entire league. The next step for the Tulsa alum is getting paid what he deserves, if Jerry Jones comes around on the whole extension thing. Tyler Guyton, while injured, made tremendous strides this offseason as he grinded to put work ethic questions to bed. His draft class partner, Cooper Beebe, is arguably the most solid member of the line outside of Smith. Last but not least, Tyler Booker. Dallas’s first-round pick in April, the former All-SEC guard has been as advertised in limited preseason snaps. This starting group is young and full of potential. It’s a great time to be a fan of the trenches. The Surprise Guys: Cornelius, Thomas, Richards While the first-round selections get the majority of the attention, the Cowboys have also made it a point to draft offensive linemen in the back ends of drafts. In the fifth round of the 2023 draft, they brought in North Carolina guard/tackle Asim Richards. If you’ve been paying attention, you know how good he has looked as a tackle. Richards has suddenly become the top swing tackle in Dallas, even if he prefers the guard spot. This past draft, they brought in native New Yorker and Oregon tackle, Ajani Cornelius. He’s been solid as a rock at right tackle in the preseason, and he may have earned a 53-man roster spot. Lastly, we have Nate Thomas, the 2024 seventh-rounder from Louisiana. He’s gotten nothing but praise from the front office. All in all, this unit now has everything it needs. High-end talent, long-term depth, and most importantly, youth.
Browns 'trust' Dillon Gabriel more than Shedeur Sanders for a very good reason
The Cleveland Browns seemed to say plenty regarding their feelings about rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders when they repeatedly listed Gabriel above Sanders on unofficial depth charts throughout August. Sanders played well in Cleveland's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8 when Gabriel was recovering from a hamstring injury. Gabriel then received his opportunity to shine in the Aug. 16 preseason matchup at the Philadelphia Eagles when Sanders was dealing with an oblique issue. For a piece published on Thursday, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic suggested that the stats from those contests show "the Browns trust Gabriel more than they do Sanders" heading into their Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. "The Browns used pre-snap motion 45 percent of the time with Gabriel against the Philadelphia Eagles," Lloyd wrote. "They used it 31 percent of the time in Sanders’ game against the Carolina Panthers, according to TruMedia data. On third downs, that increased to 63 percent for Gabriel and plummeted to 18 percent for Sanders." The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round of this year's draft before they made a trade to take a flier on Sanders at overall pick No. 144. Against the Panthers, Sanders completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. To compare, Gabriel connected on 13-of-18 passes for 143 yards with a pick-six against the Eagles. He was also credited with a lost fumble. "Gabriel was three of four on [tight-window throws] against the Eagles, according to NextGen Stats, and two of those turned third downs into first downs," Lloyd added. "Sanders was zero for four on tight-window throws against the Panthers." It's worth noting that none of this matters as of publication. Veteran Joe Flacco will serve as Cleveland's Week 1 starter, and the Browns seem serious about having Flacco, Gabriel, Sanders and backup Kenny Pickett on the active roster through at least a portion of the upcoming season. The trade deadline will arrive on Nov. 4. Lloyd mentioned that "a fear that Sanders may develop elsewhere" is a reason the Browns are holding onto the former Colorado star when they prefer Gabriel. As of now, Sanders is on track to continue his development while working in the Browns film room as an unused quarterback throughout the fall.
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