Shedeur Sanders addresses lack of first-team reps at Browns training camp: 'I know who I am'

The Cleveland Browns have a four-way quarterback race on their hands. However, the most popular quarterback on the team’s roster is receiving the fewest reps. On Friday, Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders opened up to ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi on his limited practice reps.

“I don’t think that’s my place to answer, to give the answer to that,” Sanders said Friday when asked why he thinks he isn’t getting reps with the first-team offense. “I feel like that it’s not in my control, so I’m not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is. There’s a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I’m here and I’m thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is.”

Sanders suffered an unprecedented slide in the NFL Draft this spring. After being projected to go as early as in Top-3 picks, Sanders fell to pick No. 144 in the fifth round, where the Browns mercifully drafted him.

Sanders was the second quarterback the Browns selected in the draft. The team also drafted former Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel with the No. 94 overall pick. The two rookies are competing against Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for playing time this fall.

According to Oyefusi, Sanders hasn’t received any first-team practice reps and has even been forced to throw to equipment staff members as the last quarterback in the four-man competition. Nonetheless, Sanders is keeping his chin up in the face of adversity.

“It doesn’t make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person,” Sanders said. “I know who I am as an individual, and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance.”

Sanders showed he’s more than capable of success during his two years at Colorado. Under his father’s coaching, Sanders amassed 7,364 passing yards and 64 touchdowns compared to just 13 interceptions in his two years with the Buffaloes.

Sanders shattered over 100 program records at Colorado, and was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts in 2024. He also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award his senior year.

Now, Shedeur Sanders has no choice but to keep his nose to the grindstone and hope to eventually reel in similar accolades at the NFL level. The Browns will kick off their 2025 campaign on Sept. 7 in a showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.