For a week, fans of Shedeur Sanders were up in arms.
Why would the Cleveland Browns keep him as QB3 even after benching Joe Flacco? Why not let him be the direct backup to rookie Dillon Gabriel, the new starter?
Well, those concerns can be put to rest now.
On Tuesday, the Browns traded Flacco to the quarterback-needy Cincinnati Bengals, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
In the process, Sanders got a promotion.
MORE: Jalen Hurts tried to catch his own Hail Mary
Barring another move that doesn't seem to be coming, Sanders will now be the No. 2 quarterback in Cleveland. He'll be one play away from his NFL regular season debut.
If the Browns don't make any more moves, current practice squad QB Bailey Zappe will move into the QB3 role behind Gabriel and Sanders.
It'll be the latest shift in Sanders' NFL prospects.
He was projected to be a first-round pick out of Colorado, but in April, he fell all the way to the fifth round and pick No. 144, which was 50 spots behind the Browns' selection of Gabriel.
Two rookie QBs in one draft class was always going to be a bit tricky. The Browns gave Gabriel the higher-octane chances this summer, as you'd expect for the player drafted higher.
And for the first four weeks, Gabriel backed up Flacco, so when the Browns benched Flacco, it made sense to put Gabriel in to start.
MORE: Vita Vea was an absurdly dominant high school running back
Flacco stayed the backup, as he was likely most prepared to come on in relief in the middle of a game.
But the Browns have now cleared the runway to make Sanders that backup and not Flacco.
This likely increases the chances of Sanders starting a game at some point this season. That in turn could help determine a bit of what Sanders' NFL future might really look like.
The rookie has said the right things about playing on the scout team in practice, but in reality, every professional athlete wants to play in the real games. Sanders sure wouldn't mind the chance to prove himself.
And now, that chance is just one spot away.
More NFL News:
- Why Browns' Travis Hunter trade return has changed outlook on new era
- Patriots' new era gets defining win with huge Stefon Diggs stats
- Cardinals' Emari Demercado makes unforgiveable fumble mistake
- Spencer Rattler breaks a Saints QB drought that had lasted since 1998
- Jets set record for futility not matched in NFL going back to 1933
- Nik Bonitto on pace to set a historic NFL record