Shedeur Sanders received a double dose of bad news from the Cleveland Browns’ management on Monday, showing they are clearly not confident in his ability to be a prominent signal-caller for their team.
ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed the organization had updated its quarterback depth chart.
Despite reports that Sanders had been impressing coaches during training camp, he still sits at fourth, behind likely season-opening starter Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and the man drafted two rounds before him, Dillon Gabriel.
The chart is not exactly a ringing endorsement for Sanders, who remains behind Pickett and Gabriel, both of whom have been sidelined for a stretch due to hamstring injuries.
You’ve got to seize your opportunities in the NFL when others are unable to. And Sanders appears to have failed to do so. Perhaps his efforts against third or fourth-string defenders weren’t nearly as impressive as initially reported.
On the Browns’ first depth chart of the season, they list their QBs in this order:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 4, 2025
1. Joe Flacco
2. Kenny Pickett
3. Dillon Gabriel
4. Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/p2hu5Oz9JR
Shedeur Sanders Gets More Bad News
Aside from the depth chart revelation, Shedeur Sanders also received another vote of no confidence, it seems, when the Browns signed a fifth – fifth! – quarterback to their roster.
As reported by Sportsnaut, the club picked up Tyler Huntley, a former Pro Bowler for the Baltimore Ravens. Don’t be swayed, though. Huntley’s selection to the Pro Bowl following the 2022 NFL season was as a replacement to the injured Josh Allen, and only after a myriad of other quarterbacks turned down the proposed honor.
Huntley only started four games that season, averaging just over 109 yards per game, and tossing two touchdowns to three interceptions. Not exactly mind-blowing stats by any standard.
Yet, Cleveland opted to add him to the roster as opposed to just moving Shedeur up the depth chart, and by extension, having him practice with first or second-team defenders.
It’s clear they are not smitten with Deion Sanders’ kid by any stretch. Although, to be fair, it’s being reported that Shedeur himself has a sore shoulder.
When Tyler Huntley gets 1st team reps before Shedeur Sanders this app is going to crash and burn like we’ve never seen before
— Grant Puskar (@grant_puskar_) August 4, 2025
RELATED: Cleveland Browns Owner Throws GM Under the Bus if Shedeur Sanders Disappoints in NFL
The Signs Are There
The latest news comes as the Browns’ top brass has also issued statements suggesting they were not exactly in favor of selecting Shedeur Sanders, even as he plummeted in the 2025 NFL draft.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam made a surprising admission during a training camp media session last week, awkwardly stating that he was not in favor of drafting the rookie quarterback.
“At the end of the day, that’s [General Manager] Andrew Berry’s call. Andrew made the call to pick Shedeur,” Haslam said.
#Browns Jimmy Haslam stresses that Shedeur Sanders was Andrew Berry’s pick, not his. pic.twitter.com/sD3yQYwSq8
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) July 29, 2025
Berry, meanwhile, also publicly took a swipe at Sanders over his recent speeding tickets.
“Not smart. Just not smart,” Berry told reporters regarding the speeding infractions. “It’s something that we’ve addressed with him. Look, he understands the implications, he understands the consequences.”
At this point, the organization seems determined to bury him in a locker room full of quarterbacks. And the lack of public comments offering support makes it questionable if he’ll even make the final roster.
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