“Joe’s the backup.” With that dismissive answer to reporters on Wednesday on why the 40-year-old was the team’s new starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s backup, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Shedeur Sanders is nowhere close to seeing the field this season.
The “Grown QB” is so far away from starting that Stefanski can’t even offer anything concrete as to why. Say the wrong thing, and he’s now the target of Deion Sanders’ ire. But by not saying anything, you have to fill in the rest.
It’s clear what the non-answer means. And it’s not good for Coach Prime’s youngest son.
Shedeur’s miming act in the locker room shows he doesn’t want to say what’s actually on his mind, or else risk his employment with the franchise. Sanders has been buried on the depth chart all offseason, with a trade of Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders being the only reason he’s QB3.
Pickett being traded was always tied to whether or not Gabriel could ascend to the starting spot. Sanders’ place in the big picture was always an afterthought, more media fodder than long-term football strategy.
He’s been finding that out firsthand all year. Shedeur first experienced it during his slide to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft, and is now seeing that it wasn’t a bluff. NFL teams were not sold on him being close to a cornerstone then, and the Browns aren’t taking the chance on him now. He hasn’t earned it in training camp or the preseason. Hence, being on the scout team.
Shedeur looked completely lost in a 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason, completing three passes for just 14 yards and being sacked five times, for a loss of 41 yards.
It was such a bad outing, and it’s apparently been coupled with so little progress, that Stefanski doesn’t even feel it’s worth explaining Shedeur’s place in the QB room.