Shedeur Sanders Loves Joe Flacco: Cleveland Browns Quarterbacks Room Divided?

The Cleveland Browns have five quarterbacks on the roster vying for the starting job for the 2025 NFL season. Rookie Shedeur Sanders breaks down the competition inside the quarterbacks room, revealing that he loves veteran Joe Flacco and that the room is not divided.

Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) share a laugh on the sideline during NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns have five quarterbacks on the roster vying for the starting job for the 2025 NFL season. Former Colorado Buffaloes star Shedeur Sanders breaks down what the competition is like inside the quarterbacks room, revealing that he loves 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco and that the room is not divided, despite the outside pressures.

"I'll say we all different characters. It's funny going there and seeing Joe (Flacco) every day," Sanders told Kay Adams. "It's funny seeing (Flacco) because at first I'm like, wow, I'm really with Joe Flacco right now. We're on the same team. So that's cool."

May 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) talks to the media during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Sanders was born in 2002, the same year that Flacco signed his letter of intent to play college football at Pittsburgh. Sanders and Flacco are different generations but appear to be getting along swimmingly. Sanders told Adams that Flacco gives him advice.

"And then, of course with Kenny (Pickett), the experience he had being in the league for these years, it is cool. Like, just seeing the process of it. And Deshaun, he's active in there. He's in all the meetings, so it's cool talking to him," Sanders continued.

Sanders and Flacco have been paired together to split the third and fourth team reps as the team prepares for training camp and preseason games. The Browns plan to have former first round NFL Draft pick Kenny Pickett and former Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel splitting the first and second team reps to begin NFL Organized Team Activities (OTAs) according to a report from Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot.

Jan 5, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco (15) walks off the field after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The Browns quarterback conundrum is one of the most interesting NFL offseason storylines. Will a veteran or rookie earn the starting job? Will one of the five quarterbacks be traded? Is there beef between any of the players, particularly the rookies?

"Everybody's cool in the room," Sanders told Adams. "You know, outside the room, people try to put us against each other, but inside the room, we know we (are) one."

Sounds like the Browns quarterbacks are letting the competition play out on the field and not letting outside pressures affect the chemistry in the room.

Reps will come at a premium as the pecking order of the depth chart becomes clearer amid organized team activities (OTAs.) No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are allowed. The Browns' OTA offseason workout dates are May 27-29 and June 3-5. After the 10 "voluntary" OTA practices, the offseason program ends with a mandatory veteran minicamp set for June 10-12.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) gets ready during day two of NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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How did the Browns quarterbacks room get so crowded?

The Browns signed 40-year-old Flacco as a free agent before trading the Philadelphia Eagles for Kenny Pickett. Then in the 2025 NFL Draft, Cleveland selected former Oregon Ducks quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel in the third round. Then, when former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Sanders was still available in the fifth round, Cleveland felt it had to jump on the opportunity. Also, Deshaun Watson is still on the team but is working through rehab after suffering a re-rupture of his injured Achilles.

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (7) walks off the field after win against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The rookie Sanders isn't backing down from the challenge of the competition. The middle son of NFL legend and Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur is often scrutinized for his family and the consistent media attention that comes with it.

“My job here isn’t to prove people wrong, I’m proving myself right,” Sanders said during rookie minicamp. “I fully believe it. What those people say, that’s just their opinions. I don’t truly care. They don’t really live in my mental space about that type of stuff. It really doesn’t do anything for me.”