The most intriguing quarterback battle in the NFL is a few days into the training camp phase in the battle, as the team put pads on for the first time during Monday's practice. Veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett remain the presumed leaders in the clubhouse, while rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders get their feet wet in the NFL scene. That hasn't stopped fans from buzzing about rookies on social media, as Sanders has had fans excited after solid throws through the first few days.
The few glimpses we've seen into camp have shown some very nice things for Sanders, but the whole picture isn't clear, and Monday was the first time he didn't practice against backups and guys on the roster bubble. Because of the way reps have been broken up, SI.com's Albert Breer declared that Sanders isn't going to start the season opener in Cleveland this year.
Albert Breer says Shedeur Sanders isn't going to start Week 1
Although the competition is technically open to any four on the roster, Breer broke down the difficulties in giving all four a fair shot. There are only so many reps to go around, specifically first-team reps, and it was always going to be an uphill battle for a fifth-round pick to get first-team reps early in camp.
"The reality of the situation is that the Browns don’t have enough work to go around to make this a completely even competition. They can’t bastardize preparations for the other 10 guys who’ll be in the huddle on Sunday to be “fair” to all four quarterbacks. Thus, an uneven distribution, as I see it, was inevitable, and the spring was used to sort out who would get what in terms of reps."Albert Breer
Despite this, Breer believes Sanders has made tangible progress since camp started, but he doesn't think the rookie is in the running to start Week 1 against the Bengals.
"The good news is that, despite being behind the other three Browns quarterbacks, he has worked hard to catch up, and has made up some ground. But progress and actually being a viable starting option are two different things."Albert Breer
Sanders would make significant history by starting the season opener, as a fifth-round quarterback hasn't started their Week 1 game since 1977. Along with that, starting a rookie in a year the offense is undergoing an overhaul back to their 2022 ways doesn't make sense until the rest of the offense feels comfortable with the change. Letting a veteran be the consistent presence to allow the rest of the unit to get up to speed will set it up perfectly for Gabriel or Sanders to make their debut later this season.
The excitement for Sanders is reasonable, but Browns fans will need to show a bit of patience and hope he can continue to progress to get a real chance later in the season.