Shedeur Sanders: People try to pit QBs against each other, but we know we're one
The Browns have one of the league's most intriguing quarterback competitions in the league, but one of the players taking part in it says the participants haven't lost sight of the fact that they are all on the same team.
Deshaun Watson is headed for a reserve list due to his torn Achilles, but Shedeur Sanders, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabril are vying for three roster spots so you might expect little collaboration between them. Sanders told Kay Adams at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere that the players are 'different characters,' but that he's been learning from his more experienced teammates as they work to get ready or the 2025 season.
'Everybody's cool in the room,' Sanders said. 'Outside the room, people try to pit us against each other, but, inside the room, we know we're one.'
The early phases of the offseason program focus on conditioning work and learning the offense, so things will be heating up with the team on the field for OTAs, minicamp and training camp. That may lead to some changes in how everyone approaches one another and the Browns will be hoping that the setup pushes all the participants to their best.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Fox Sports
5 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Shedeur Sanders shrugs off lack of 1st-team reps at Browns minicamp
For the first time in his football career, Shedeur Sanders is at the bottom of his team's depth chart. However, that doesn't mean that the Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterback isn't practicing and preparing the same way. Sanders, who the Browns took in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, believes that he's handling his situation as Cleveland's unofficial fourth-string quarterback "real well." "I would say it's just a mindset, this adjustment. You got to go and understand the situation that you're in and be able to approach that and get the best out of it," Sanders told reporters following the Browns' first mandatory minicamp practice on Tuesday. "You could view things as you're not getting reps in a negative way, or you could view it as, OK, when is my time to get out there? Let's be proactive, let's get warm and let's get going. "So, there's no excuses because when you get out there, nobody cares how many reps you got whenever you get in the game. Nobody cares if you took a snap before. Everybody cares about production. So that's the main thing when you get out there: You got to be able to produce." Following Day 2 of Browns minicamp on Wednesday, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel split first-team reps. Sanders' reps during the offseason program came with the backup units, but he saw his workload increase as Flacco's reduced. On the final snap of Tuesday's practice, Sanders connected with Luke Floriea on a skinny post route while under pressure. Another highlight came during a 7-on-7 drill, when he threw a deep ball up the right sideline to Gage Larvadain with cornerback Dom Jones in coverage. Sanders seemed to carry the momentum into Wednesday's practice. He statistically outperformed Cleveland's other three quarterbacks, unofficially completing 8 of 9 passes with a touchdown during team drills, according to ESPN Cleveland. Flacco completed 3 of 7 passes (one touchdown), Pickett completed 6 of 11 passes (one touchdown) and Gabriel completed 9 of 16 passes (two touchdowns), according to ESPN Cleveland's unofficial stat tracking at Wednesday's practice. As Sanders has seemingly impressed during the team's offseason program, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski stressed to not look to deeply into who is getting first-team reps and who isn't. "It's the offseason. It's OTAs, so we're going to keep the focus there," Stefanski told reporters on Wednesday. Once you get into training camp, of course, you're getting ready to play games and ultimately getting ready to play the season. But right now, that's not our focus." Following Wednesday's practice, Sanders was seen putting in extra work, spending an extra 15 to 20 minutes on passing drills. Another big adjustment for Sanders is trying to get through his progressions quicker so that he avoids sacks. Sanders was sacked 94 times over his last two seasons at Colorado, the most by a quarterback in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and that contributed to his drop in the draft. "It's definitely going through the progressions and getting comfortable and knowing the ins and outs of everything. So, when you go on the field, I already have a different type of confidence by myself, regardless," he said, adding that when training camp begins, "I'll be there." Stefanski said going through progressions is a bedrock of offensive efficiency, but mastering that skill can take time. "Being able to get through a progression is not as easy as it sounds. Your eyes are studying the defenders and seeing what they're doing, and then ultimately, you're listening to your feet," Stefanski said. "To quote an old Gary Kubiak line, 'You have a prescribed drop for a play, and that drop, and those hitches will take you where the ball is supposed to go.'" While some Browns fans would love to see him start the Sept. 7 opener against the Cincinnati Bengals — or soon thereafter — Sanders said his goal is just to become as polished as he can. "I got time to be able to grow and mature and be able to understand the ins and outs of the defenses and be able to get the good insight from the vets in the room," he said. "So, I look at it as a plus. I got time to actually be able to really have a great understanding. And whenever, you know, it's time for me to play, then it's time for me to play. "But I'm not looking too far in the future about all that. I'm looking about every day in practice because I had some misses out there today that, you know, we got to go in there and correct, reads getting in and out drops a little bit faster from under center. So that's the main thing. I'm focused on the small things, and over time, the big things will happen." Browns mincamp will conclude on Thursday. After that, the team will break for over a month before returning for training camp in July. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Controversial Browns WR Diontae Johnson Wants to 'Change The Narrative'
Controversial Browns WR Diontae Johnson Wants to 'Change The Narrative' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Some Cleveland Browns hoped their team would find another wide receiver with the seven picks the team utilized at the NFL Draft. Jerry Jeudy proved he could be a strong No. 1 option through the 2024 season, but his offense needs another punch in the passing game. Advertisement But they've done it another way. A controversial way. The Browns let Elijah Moore walk (he's with the Bills) after tallying 61 receptions and 538 yards in that campaign. Cedric Tillman, the next man up on the depth chart, had only 339 receiving yards a year ago. Enter Diontae Johnson, who on Wednesday spoke to the media in an effort to stem a tide of negativity. "I don't want to speak on a lot of stuff," Johnson said. "Everybody's going to have their opinions, you know what I'm saying? So at the end of the day, I'm the only one in that room that really know what's going on. They're entitled to their own opinion, so I can only go off of what I know and then try to go off what I put out there and my best effort. ... Advertisement "Last year is last year. I'm trying to change that narrative and move the right way and keep going." The Browns in late April signed Johnson, 28, to a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum ($1.17 million) that includes no guaranteed money. Johnson said the Browns were the only team that reached out to him in free agency before he signed. That tells a story. Johnson's first five seasons came with the Pittsburgh Steelers (where he had 391 catches for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns) before he was traded to the Carolina Panthers last March. That move preceded a subsequent trade to the Baltimore Ravens after seven games. Advertisement He spent four games with the Ravens before being placed on waivers where the Houston Texans claimed him. The Browns originally brought Johnson in for a visit last week and rumors of his intentions to join the team quickly swirled. He's bounced around the league amid behavioral concerns. Is that a "narrative''? Or an issue? "I'm still in that form," said Johnson, a 2019 NFL Draft third-round pick who made the Pro Bowl in 2021. "It's just a matter of whenever I get my opportunities to put it on film." Related: Shedeur Sanders Turning Heads With Response To Backup Reps This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.

NBC Sports
6 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Ohio Senate passes budget with $600 million for domed Browns stadium
Enjoy the snow games while you can, Browns fans. The team has moved another step closer to building a new domed stadium in suburban Brook Park. Via 92.3 The Fan, the Ohio Senate passed a budget on Wednesday that includes $600 million in state money for the Browns stadium. The Senate's plan borrows against the $1.7 billion pool of unclaimed funds. The House has proposed bonds, and the governor wants to increase gambling taxes. Regardless, all three bodies agree that $600 million is the magic number for the state's contribution. Much more work needs to be done, including $600 million in local money. Along with a finding that the Art Modell Law doesn't prevent the team from leaving Cleveland.