Shedeur Sanders Praised for his Demeanor During Browns Minicamp originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Shedeur Sanders delivered a strong performance during the second day of the Cleveland Browns’ mandatory minicamp Wednesday, further fueling speculation if he could be a serious contender for the team’s starting job.
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The fifth-round draft pick out of Colorado was nearly flawless during seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills. According to ESPN Cleveland, Sanders completed 8-of-9 passes with one touchdown and didn’t turn the ball over for a second straight day.
Sanders’ fellow quarterbacks had mixed results. Dillon Gabriel went 9-of-16 with two touchdowns. Joe Flacco completed just 3-of-7 passes with a touchdown, while Kenny Pickett was 6-of-11 with a score of his own.
The Browns will likely use Flacco as a starter, but the competition among Sanders, Gabriel, Flacco and Pickett is expected to continue into training camp and possibly through the preseason. While Sanders remains an underdog to start Week 1, his sharp showing Wednesday gave the coaching staff more to think about.
“This quarterback battle feels as open as any,” Pro Football Focus analyst Thomas Valentine said. “Draft order notwithstanding, [Sanders] is the most talented quarterback on the roster.”
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Valentine predicted that Sanders could ultimately win the job, citing his elite 91.0 PFF grade from his final college season. Sanders’ draft stock tumbled unexpectedly in April, sliding from a projected first-round pick to a fifth-round selection, where Cleveland took him with the 144th overall pick.
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Despite limited reps in practice, Sanders has remained focused on his development.
“Life is just based on how you view different things,” Sanders said Tuesday after the Browns’ first minicamp practice. “So you can view things as you’re not getting reps in a negative way or you can view it as, OK, when it’s my time to get out there, let’s be proactive and let’s get warm, let’s get going.”
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Flacco was reportedly limited by design on Tuesday and Wednesday. While Sanders faces a steep climb to the top of the depth chart, his talent and confidence are beginning to stand out.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.