Will Shedeur Sanders be Browns’ QB1 over Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett? Stephen A. Smith doesn’t think so

Shedeur Sanders faces uncertain prospects in Cleveland’s crowded quarterback room after the NFL Draft fifth round slide.

Will Shedeur Sanders be Browns’ QB1 over Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett? Stephen A. Smith doesn’t think so

Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders, Joe Flacco, Stephen A. Smith (Images via Fox News/Forbes/ESPN/AP News/The New Yorker)

The Cleveland Browns locker room is crowded with quarterbacks. Ahead of the offseason, the Browns had just one quarterback, and that too, an injured and socially shamed one. Fast forward to today, the Browns traded in two QBs in the offseason and drafted two more in the NFL Draft.

The Browns now have five quarterbacks including long-time Deshaun Watson, veteran Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and 2025 Draft inductees Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. After a bad season last year, finishing second last in the tournament, the Browns are looking ahead to change their fates with the recent pickups.

Among the five, Watson is the most unlikely to be the starter, considering his injury and his reputation with the fans. While Pickett is a fresh face, he hasn’t been part of much games and there’s no sparkling quality that puts him in the front seat without no competition.

Joe Flacco, however, has a ring to his name and is considered a decent quarterback. After all, it was Flacco, who led a comeback in 2023 to put the Ohio-based team in the playoffs.

Moving onto Sanders and Gabriel, the latter has more organizational confidence, if the draft is to have a say in the same. Nevertheless, Sanders, despite criticisms, has first round abilities and a college resume to speak for it than Gabriel. Still, he is unlikely to start and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith explained why in a recent First Take episode.

Smith noted that Sanders is unlikely to start not because of his abilities but the intangible aspects of playing in the league.

I think that you had people looking to give him a reality check. And now I think what you’re going to do is see people wanting to test his (Sanders’) emotional and mental resolve as it pertains to that.

Stephen A. Smith noted

Shedeur Sanders anxious to start his role at the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns emphasized that every quarterback on the roster would need to earn their place through competition. Both general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear that no player would be guaranteed a role, regardless of experience or draft status.

Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders (Image via Imago)

This approach placed Shedeur Sanders in a challenging position from the outset. His selection in the fifth round signaled potential, but offered no assurances of playing time. Entering a crowded quarterback room, Sanders would need to outperform veterans just to skip this bad dream and secure a long-term spot.

Stephen A. Smith entailed that he’s heard reports that Sanders is already headed to Cleveland to prove his worth. After all, he’s paycheck to paycheck without a big deal, signing bonus and guaranteed money.

As of yesterday afternoon he was en route to Cleveland from what I was told in a pickup truck, ready to put grab his lunchpail, grab his hardhat and get to work. That’s what I was told in terms of yesterday about how he’s looking at things right now. Anxious to go out there and show out.

Stephen A. Smith added

He’s right to do so and his mentality is on track. It’s not just about his skills here, it is more about perception. The Browns already had a quarterback who wasn’t accepted by the fans, there was a loyalty dwindle. The organization wouldn’t want it again and Sanders will have some serious competition to earn fans’ hearts especially because of the presence of their 2023 comeback hero Joe Flacco.

Sanders arrives with a public profile and questions about his personality, which teams may view as a challenge to manage. For Cleveland, testing his patience, work ethic, and locker room fit may be as important as evaluating his passing mechanics. That test likely begins from the bottom of the depth chart, not from a starting role.

Waiting for a chance isn’t an option; earning it is. The Browns will watch closely not just how he plays, but how he handles being held back. His response may shape not only his future in Cleveland, but his entire NFL trajectory.

Also Read: Shedeur Sanders’ draft misery helped broadcasters see a sharp 40% rise in day 2, day 3 viewership