Browns Trying to Trade Shedeur Sanders or Another QB Wouldn't Surprise NFL Insiders

Despite being the Cleveland Browns' highest-profile player selected in the 2025 NFL draft, Shedeur Sanders could end up being a trade candidate before the start of the regular season.

Appearing on the Saturday morning edition of SportsCenter, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler explained that people in the NFL "wouldn't be surprised" if the Browns try to trade one of their quarterbacks by the end of the preseason because they won't have enough roster spots for all of them:

"They're going to keep four quarterbacks throughout the offseason leading into training camp. So, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders will have plenty of opportunities to make their impression and try to make the team. That's really their first goal. They have to do that because the Browns are probably going to keep at a max three quarterbacks. Somebody is going to be the odd man out. Sanders has been as advertised as far as what the Browns liked in the pre-draft process, accuracy, decision-making. They want to see him build on that but the tricky part for him is they're really high on Gabriel. They essentially over drafted him in the third round just to make sure that they got him. I was told that the Browns are really surprised that the media never picked up pre-draft very much on how high they were on Gabriel with their private workouts with him, with bringing him for a top 30 visit. So, he's still in a pretty good position right here. We'll see. Now, talking to people around the league they wouldn't be surprised if the Browns try to swing a trade eventually with one of these four quarterbacks because they look at that position as currency, as value. So, somebody plays well in the preseason maybe they'll be in a new uniform."

Cleveland's current quarterback depth chart includes Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Deshaun Watson is also on the team, but his status for 2025 is up in the air after re-tearing his Achilles in January.

The Browns haven't named an official starter at this point. Albert Breer of The MMQB said on Tuesday's episode of The Rich Eisen Show that Flacco is likely in the "pole position" to be the starter entering organized team activities later this month (starts at 2:10 mark).

Considering that Gabriel was a top-100 pick at No. 94 overall in the third round, it would be a huge shock if the Browns didn't give him every chance to make the roster.

That would seem to leave Sanders and Pickett fighting for the final quarterback spot. Pickett, despite being a first-round pick in 2022, is a known quantity at this point.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, who don't currently have a proven starter on their roster, traded Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason because they wanted to go with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

Entering the final season of his rookie contract, Pickett would only count $2.6 million against the cap if he were to be released. Trading him would save the Browns $2.6 million against the cap.

Sanders' rookie deal will be worth $4.65 million over four years when he eventually signs.

When you factor in that teams know what Pickett can do in the NFL, it would seem to make him the favorite not to be in Cleveland.

Sanders, despite being selected with the 144th overall pick, was regarded as a first-round prospect by B/R's NFL scouting department leading up to the draft. Fowler noted Sanders' first exposure to the NFL at rookie minicamp on Friday matched what his scouting reports said about his ability.

Even if Sanders does make Cleveland's roster, he could be fighting an uphill battle to get playing time as a rookie. Since 1967, there have only been four quarterbacks drafted in the fifth round or later to start in Week 1 of their first season.

No team will be watched as closely during training camp and preseason than the Browns because of the intrigue around their quarterback room right now.