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Browns' Quarterback Battle Gets Big Update With New Unofficial Depth Chart

We know where Shedeur Sanders falls, at least for now.

Brigid Kennedy

Shedeur Sanders, son of NFL great Deion Sanders, is listed as the fourth-string QB at the moment.
Shedeur Sanders, son of NFL great Deion Sanders, is listed as the fourth-string QB at the moment. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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NFL fans just received the biggest update yet regarding the Browns' quarterback battle.

As both Cleveland fans and haters wait for the official QB1 designation from the Browns' top brass, the team's first unofficial depth chart should offer some pretty clear clues as to which way they're leaning.

The document, released Monday, lists the team's five quarterbacks in the following order: Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson.

It is not a totally surprising order, considering (1) Flacco had been the presumed frontrunner for a few weeks now, (2) Pickett is nursing a hamstring injury and (3) Watson has been out for months after rupturing his Achilles in January, just months after the initial tear that ended his 2024–25 season. But what is interesting to note is how Gabriel, a third-round pick out of Oregon, is listed ahead of Sanders, the former Colorado Buffaloes QB and presumed top-ten pick who ultimately fell to the fifth round.

Will this order hold? Is Gabriel really better than Sanders? Will we all just have to wait and see?

Our money's on that last option. We'll find out who's taking the first snap when the Browns host the Bengals in Week 1 on Sept. 7.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.

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