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Joe Flacco trade: Shedeur Sanders moves up Browns depth chart in wake of sudden QB move

ProfilePhotoby: Nick Geddes10/07/25NickGeddesNews
Shedeur Sanders
Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns (1-4) made a big move Tuesday, trading veteran quarterback Joe Flacco to their divisional rival in the Cincinnati Bengals (2-3). With Flacco out of the picture, that means Shedeur Sanders is moving up the ladder in Cleveland.

Sanders, who opened the season No. 3 on the depth chart, will now serve as backup to fellow rookie signal-caller Dillon Gabriel, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Sanders will be active on gamedays going forward, his NFL debut as a backup set to come this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1).

The Browns benched Flacco after their 34-10 Week 4 defeat to the Detroit Lions (4-1). Gabriel started under center in Sunday’s 21-17 Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings (3-2) in London. He completed 19-of-33 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Gabriel will continue on as starter, with Sanders next up behind him.

Shedeur Sanders moves up Browns depth chart after Joe Flacco trade

Sanders, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, slipped to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Up until the day of the draft, he was widely expected to come off the board in Round 1. He finished his first preseason in Cleveland completing 17-of-29 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He was sacked seven times.

Sanders will be ready if he gets the chance to start. He said last month he feels he’s “ready to play right now.” Sanders also believes he’s capable of performing better than some of the starting quarterbacks around the NFL.

“I know for sure, I know if you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I know I’m capable of doing better than that,” Sanders said.

For now, it’s Gabriel’s team. Head coach Kevin Stefanski liked what he saw from the former Oregon standout in his debut.

“For a young player in that environment versus that defense, to take care of the ball, make the plays he made I thought was a lot of positives with plenty to clean up,” Stefanski said. “And that’s what he will do. That’s the mentality that he has is certainly to be a player that continues to get better week in and week out.”