When could Shedeur Sanders become Browns' starting quarterback?

Shedeur Sanders seemed to make a strong first impression in his first few official practices with the Cleveland Browns when he took part in rookie minicamp earlier in May. But the fifth-round rookie still has a bit of an uphill battle to become the Browns' starting quarterback – or does he?

The Colorado product will presumably be one of four players to compete for the Browns' starting quarterback job this spring and summer, joining the likes of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel as Deshaun Watson rehabs from re-injuring his Achilles. While all four quarterbacks were acquired by Cleveland this offseason, it's arguable that the Browns made stronger investments in Flacco (one-year, $4.25 million deal), Pickett (gave up QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, fifth-round pick in trade with Philadelphia Eagles) and Gabriel (selected in third round of 2025 NFL Draft) than Sanders.

Despite the relatively smaller investment in Sanders, though, LeSean McCoy believes that he'll eventually become Cleveland's starting quarterback in 2025. He relayed that he's heard Sanders shined among the rookies at Browns rookie camp this past weekend, which included Gabriel and four players the Browns took in the first 70 overall picks of the 2025 NFL Draft (Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin Jr.).

"[He's not going to start] game one. He's a rookie, he's gonna take some time. But he's gonna start, and he's gonna start early this year," McCoy said on "The Facility." "I don't think the Browns will be competitive this year. The other thing is, I've got my sources, and they told me, and I know some of you guys don't think minicamp is all that important, but they told me he looks like the best player out of the whole camp. I was always taught that I don't care if it's minicamp, real camp, fake camp, high camp, Boy Scout camp – be the best at everything you do. That's how I was raised."

While Sanders will have to outplay at least three other quarterbacks to win the Browns' starting quarterback job, McCoy, along with "The Facility" co-host James Jones, think he doesn't have to do much to prove he's better than Flacco, Pickett or Gabriel. 

"You in a room full of dudes who'd struggle to start with any other team," McCoy said. "Imagine having Joe Flacco as your starting quarterback, where are y'all going? What are y'all doing? Kenny Pickett, I love Kenny Pickett, but in his years, he's been struggling. … If this is a room full of backups, who's the starter?"

"The track record shows that the dudes that are in front of him are not that good," Jones added. "The dudes that are in front of him don't play good football consistently. So, I think there will be opportunities for him to start some games during the season. He's going to make the team, that was very clear at minicamp."

Flacco and Pickett both primarily served as backups in 2024. The former put up some decent numbers over the eight games he appeared in with the Indianapolis Colts as Flacco completed 65.3% of his passes for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. However, Flacco went 2-4 in the six games he started, throwing 10 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

Why Shedeur Sanders has a legit shot at Browns QB1: 'His mindset ain't to be a backup'

Pickett, meanwhile, only got a solid amount of playing time in two games with the Eagles in 2024 due to a concussion Jalen Hurts suffered late in the regular season. The Pittsburgh Steelers opted to move on from him after Pickett struggled to live up to his first-round billing through his first two years in the league.

As for Gabriel, the Browns' decision to select him in the third round was viewed as a surprise. Most draft analysts believed Gabriel was a Day 3 talent, with the consensus opinion being that Sanders was a better quarterback prospect than him ahead of the draft. 

But even though Sanders' competition might not be the greatest, former quarterback Matt Hasselbeck believes that the number of players he'll have to compete with for the starting job works against him. 

"On rare occasions, you're getting snaps with the first-string center," Hasselbeck said of Sanders' potential to become the Browns' starting quarterback on "The Herd." "You're basically going to have to make the most out of every single opportunity."

What are the expectations for Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland?

To Hasselbeck's point, quarterbacks taken outside of the first round have historically had a tough path to start a game in their rookie season. In the last five years, 15 quarterbacks taken outside the first round have started a game in their rookie season. However, the vast majority of those players only started late in the year due to multiple injuries at quarterback for their respective teams, including Brock Purdy. 

Furthermore, only six quarterbacks taken outside the first round have been Week 1 starters since 2010, with a few of them getting the path cleared for them thanks to injury. 

Still, McCoy thinks Sanders will wind up rising above the tide and becoming the Browns' starting quarterback at some point in 2025. 

"If you look at Shedeur Sanders, his mindset ain't to be in no backup role with these dudes," McCoy said. "He's here to start. He looks way more focused. He looks like himself."

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