What the Joe Flacco trade means for Browns QB Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns have traded away another quarterback this afternoon, as Joe Flacco has just been traded away along with a sixth-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for a fifth-round pick. This marks the first trade between the Browns and Bengals since the Browns' return to the NFL in 1999.

Many fans recall when the Browns attempted to trade for QB A.J. McCarron in 2017, but the Browns did not submit the necessary paperwork in time.

Entering the season, the question was about which quarterbacks would stick around for the Browns, as they had Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders on the active roster.

Pickett was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders on August 25th, also for a fifth-round pick in the draft. Now with Flacco being traded away, Gabriel is set to remain the starter with Shedeur Sanders behind him, and Deshaun Watson still injured and on the depth chart.

With Flacco out of the picture, the starter position for Gabriel is locked down for at least a couple of weeks.

Now the real question is: who is the backup?

It should be Sanders, as he was initially the third string behind Flacco on the depth chart. But the recent rumblings of Deshaun Watson can also not be ignored, as his possibility of starting also increases.

Realistically, this Flacco trade is great for Sanders in terms of his chances to eventually see the field; on the teammate side, not so much. Sanders loses a mentor in the locker room, a veteran who has seen it all in his 18 years in the NFL.

Now is the chance for Sanders to take over a spot on the depth chart. Now that Sanders jumps up into the second-string spot, he’ll get more reps with the backups and possibly some first-team reps during practice. These reps will give Sanders the opportunity and time to build chemistry with the starters, which could eventually lead to success.

Another aspect of this trade is that Gabriel and Sanders are now the key players, along with Watson, so this could be the perfect opportunity for the two rookies to bond. They will have to lean on each other throughout the tough times and the good times.

This trade ultimately opens the door for Shedeur to start soon. Gabriel has impressed so far in his young career, but there are many weeks left in the NFL season, and if Gabriel slips up soon, Sanders will be ready.