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Domonique Foxworth: Shedeur Sanders will be QB1 for Cleveland Browns to begin 2025 season

ProfilePhotoby: Nick Geddes05/23/25NickGeddesNews
Shedeur Sanders
Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns have a crowded quarterback room. But come Week 1 on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the Cincinnati Bengals, one of Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, or Shedeur Sanders will be under center.

ESPN‘s Domonique Foxworth believes Sanders will be QB1 to open up the 2025 NFL season. Foxworth said on Friday’s “Get Up” that the Browns need to get a look at Sanders or Gabriel sooner rather than later and see what they have.

“Shedeur Sanders will be the starting quarterback for the Browns entering the season,” Foxworth said. “I think they want to know what they have in either Shedeur or Gabriel before the season is over because there’s a chance they’ll be at the top of a good quarterback draft again next year. I think they’ll move quickly to get those guys on the field to see what kind of players they will be.”

Shedeur Sanders among 4 QBs competing for starting job

Sanders slid to the fifth round in the 2025 NFL Draft. Cleveland selected Gabriel ahead of him in the third round, despite Sanders largely being known as the superior prospect. Typically, you wouldn’t expect a fifth round quarterback to start Week 1. In fact, only one quarterback selected in the fifth round — Mark Brunell — has made a Pro Bowl.

The odds appear to be stacked against Sanders. It is worth noting, however, that he’s paired with one of the league’s brightest offensive minds in Kevin Stefanski and has a Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Flacco to learn from.

Yes, there are four quarterbacks competing for one spot. So far, the camaraderie is strong, Sanders said.

“We’re all different characters,” Sanders said on Up and Adams. “It’s funny going in there and seeing Joe every day. It’s funny because at practice I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m really with Joe Flacco right now. We’re on the same team.’ That’s cool, and of course, with Kenny, with the experience he has being in the league for these years, it’s cool, just seeing the process. Deshaun [Watson], of course, he’s active in there, he’s in all the meetings. It’s cool to talk to him.”