Shedeur Sanders OTAs Hype Spiraling Into Madness: Cleveland Browns Quarterback Competition

It wasn't exactly unexpected, but the narratives and hype surrounding the Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition have officially spiraled out of control amid the team's first round of OTAs.

Recent draft picks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are battling veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco for the Browns' starting job, and no quarterback room in the NFL has drawn nearly as much attention. Every 10-yard throw, every incompletion and every quote is being analyzed like the final days of a presidential race.

Former NFL offensive lineman and Fox Sports analyst Mark Schlereth is seemingly fed up with the premature quarterback conclusions coming out of Berea. On Fox Sports' "Breakfast Ball," the former Denver Broncos star noted that the laid-back nature of OTAs hasn't been taken into consideration among pundits.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) watches from the sideline 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

"This is so stupid," Schlereth said. "We get excited about OTAs? What people don't understand is that oftentimes in these OTAs, we will script success. As an offense, we'll go, 'Ok, we're going against our second-team defense. Let's make sure we script a great route combination against a really tough defensive look that they're overmatched in. Sometimes, you put these together where it's not necessarily best-on-best. You want to see a certain thing and you want it against a certain coverage, so you're going, 'Hey man, offensively, we're winning this drill today. Tomorrow, you get to win the drill."

Even Sanders would likely agree that OTA statistics don't mean much during a limited-contact practice in May. It was encouraging to see the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback complete seven of his nine passes for two touchdowns during team drills on Wednesday (per ESPN Cleveland), but should that be treated as a legitimate line?

"In 7-on-7, in these situations, scripted drills, to put any weight into this is just moronic," Schlereth added

.@markschlereth and @craigcartonlive are fed up with OTA's being overhyped

Mark: "This is stupid. What people don't understand is that often times in these OTA's we will script success. 7-on-7 in these scripted drills... to put any weight is just moronic." pic.twitter.com/aMSvFjZN7g
— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) May 29, 2025

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"Breakfast Ball" host Craig Carton also chimed in with his own take.

"This is why a lot of teams didn't want to draft him (Sanders) because where's the Dillon Gabriel highlights? Where's the Kenny Pickett highlights? Where's the Joe Flacco highlights? Why is this a story?" Carton said. "There's four other quarterbacks doing the same thing in a T-shirt and shorts, and I guarantee they all look good."

Fortunately, the outside noise doesn't seem to be having a great impact on Cleveland's quarterback room. All four, not including the injured Deshaun Watson, have said they've developed a camaraderie despite the unusual circumstances.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) watches quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) 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

“I think the outside world makes it a lot bigger than it is,” Sanders said at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event. “When you’re day to day, when you’re in meetings with these guys, you’re at practice — of course, we’re all competing — but you become friends with everybody.”

Coach Kevin Stefanski and his offensive staff are likely counting the days until preseason games begin to get a better grip on their crowded quarterback room.