Cleveland Browns Drop Their First Preseason QB Depth Chart & Fans Are Gonna Be Pissed

The Cleveland Browns have released their first preseason chart ahead of the first preseason game, and it won’t be well-received by Shedeur Sanders’ fanbase.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns have released their first depth chart ahead of Friday’s first preseason contest against the Carolina Panthers. Veteran Joe Flacco is listed as the top quarterback, with Kenny Pickett in the No. 2 spot.

Dillon Gabriel is third on the depth chart, and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders is surprisingly occupying the No. 4 spot:

On the Browns’ first depth chart of the season, they list their QBs in this order:

1. Joe Flacco
2. Kenny Pickett
3. Dillon Gabriel
4. Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/p2hu5Oz9JR

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 4, 2025

A lot can change between now and the start of the regular season, but this is already a strong indicator that the Browns don’t realistically view Shedeur Sanders as an option to start their Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Interestingly, the Browns also signed former Pro Bowl quarterback Tyler Huntley on Monday evening. Huntley is now the sixth quarterback on Cleveland’s roster, with veteran Deshaun Watson likely to miss all of 2025 recovering from a re-ruptured Achilles tear.

Sanders was the consensus No. 2 quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft behind Miami’s Cam Ward, who went first overall to the Tennessee Titans. But in one of the most stunning draft falls in recent memory, Sanders fell all the way down to the Browns in round five at No. 144 overall.

Shedeur Sanders Just Has To Keep Working & Wait Patiently For His Chance

Flacco’s familiarity in Cleveland’s offense (he won Comeback Player of the Year honors here in 2023) and Pickett’s experience and upside (a former 2022 first-round pick) meant it would always be hard for Sanders to win the QB1 job.

Even if Sanders opens the season as a backup, he just has to wait patiently for his opportunity to shine. Flacco is a 40-year-old journeyman, and Pickett is on his third team in as many years for a reason. Odds are that Sanders will eventually get meaningful playing time in year one.

Also Read: Cleveland Browns Are Reportedly Planning Blockbuster QB Trade