On Sunday, rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders finally made his debut for the Cleveland Browns. After Dillon Grabriel sustained a concussion, Sanders played the entire second half for the Browns in their loss to the Baltimore Ravens. If Gabriel’s unfortunate injury didn’t force Cleveland’s hand, Sanders' debut was a moment many people thought would never come this season. Turns out, that may have actually been the case.
Following Sunday’s game, Jason Lloyd, a senior columnist for The Athletic, wrote a piece recapping Sanders’ first half of regular-season NFL football, and shared some previously unreported details about Cleveland’s plan for their fifth-round rookie quarterback. According to Lloyd, immediately after the draft, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was telling members of Cleveland’s organization that 2025 would be like a redshirt year for Sanders, meaning he would develop in the shadows without seeing the field.
Browns reportedly intended for 2025 to be a redshirt year for Shedeur Sanders
While Lloyd’s report is the first that alleges Stefanski actually used the redshirt terminology, the majority of the organization’s actions and messaging surrounding Sanders points to that being the franchise’s intention. Since the rookie quarterback arrived, he was always positioned in a way different from the other quarterbacks on the roster. From not really being involved in what was described as an open quarterback competition, to taking reps by himself on the opposite side of the field, and throwing to equipment guys in drills, it didn’t seem like the Browns intended for Sanders to play in 2025 — at least not early.
That sentiment was echoed by all of Stefanski’s public quotes to the media, as he often deflected when it came to Sanders, focusing on the development of all young players instead. That was especially on display when Joe Flacco was traded, and Stefanski was hesitant to name Sanders the backup quarterback. According to Lloyd, the head coach told members of the organization that Bailey Zappe would be QB2 for the Browns after Flacco was moved, but for whatever reason, Sanders was ultimately elevated.
If the plan for Shedeur Sanders was to actually have an unofficial redshirt year this season, that brings even more questions to Cleveland’s quarterback plans beyond this year. When the Browns selected two QBs in the 2025 Draft, and secured two first-round picks in 2026, the natural assumption was that the franchise would want to see if Gabriel or Sanders could be a long-term answer, or if Cleveland needed to take a first-round quarterback in 2026.
Drafting Sanders with the intention to redshirt him makes it seem like taking a quarterback in 2026 wasn’t initially on the table for the Browns. If a team is redshirting a rookie QB, it’s typically because the franchise has long-term plans for the quarterback, not because they plan to move off the QB in a year without them ever taking a snap.
Beyond that confusing approach, the fact that Cleveland deviated from the plan, when it didn’t have to, makes it clear that the organization is not aligned in its decision making. Clearly, some within the franchise wanted to draft Sanders, and some didn’t. Some people in the organization wanted to see the rookie on the field this season, and others did not. And again, the Browns weren’t even aligned on the decision to make Sanders QB2.
All of this internal friction is now playing out publicly with Sanders on the field. While everyone is quick to analyze his play to determine his future in the league, every snap Sanders take is actually a look into what has been an unorthodox development plan due to organizational misalignment.