Kevin Stefanski’s Hopeful Request to Shedeur Sanders After Browns Rookie Sidelined With Injury

The Browns may have named Joe Flacco as their starter, but they still need to decide whether they need to keep all four QBs on the 53-man roster. That’s an impending narrative, but what makes it all the more concerning are the injuries several quarterbacks have faced recently. And rookie Shedeur Sanders is one of them. He is suffering from an oblique injury, which he sustained during the joint practice with the Eagles on August 13… Now, his limited participation in practice has been unsettling for his fans.

The team is taking it day-to-day with Sanders. On Tuesday, Sanders did not practice, though he was in uniform, warmed up, and threw some passes. He did not participate in the individual or team drills. Instead, he stood behind, watched, and took some mental reps of the plays. In fact, during a press conference on the same day, HC Kevin Stefanski shared how they have been handling his injury:

“Give him a break and see how it responds, and then see how he’s feeling for tomorrow,” he said, as reported by the Cleveland Browns on YouTube. So, if the rookie feels better on Wednesday, fans might witness him practice. He will have to remain consistent and healthy if he wants the backup job. Here’s the thing:

On August 19, reporter Adam Schefter took to X with a surprising update that the Browns plan to keep all four quarterbacks. That would be a piece of great news for Sanders. However, coach Stefanski has yet to decide where Sanders stands in the rotation. For now, Sanders’ workload remains limited. The promising rookie has been slowed, leaving the coaching staff to balance caution with injury. After all, if Flacco’s age becomes an issue later, we can expect Sanders or Dillon Dabriel to keep the franchise afloat.

But let us not forget Kenny Pickett. He is climbing back after a hamstring injury suffered on July 26. He finally joined the 11-on-11 drills, his first extended action in nearly three weeks. Stefanski acknowledged the progress, noting Pickett “continues to progress nicely.”

What are the ripple effects of Shedeur Sanders’ injury?

The coach refused to offer clarity on the rookie quarterback’s place in the pecking order. In fact, he told reporters last month, “I’m not going to get into specifics on the players and where they’re getting reps, those type of things. He’s working extremely hard. All those guys are. We’re still not yet through the installation schedule. We’re still just introducing two-minute yesterday. We’ll introduce some different distances today situationally. So I wouldn’t really think much past that.” 

Cleveland remains unwilling to risk further damage by pushing Sanders onto the field too soon. Stefanski expanded on the challenge of his injury earlier this week, saying, “When it’s a quarterback, you kind of need that muscle to throw. So, unfortunately, going to put him down for a little bit here. We’ll treat it day to day and see how he responds. But want to be smart because he’s a thrower, so you can’t push that thing.” The Browns know a setback could derail the rookie’s progress.

Sanders’s absence has left the spotlight shining on Dillon Gabriel. The rookie was given genuine first-team snaps in practice, though the experiment faded quickly. By the conclusion of joint sessions with Philadelphia, concerns had surfaced. Draft analyst Tony Pauline noted, “Sources at practice tell me it seems as though Gabriel is purposely looking to leave the pocket, despite the design of the play, and that’s not a good thing.” For Cleveland, that raised new doubts about his readiness for live game speed.

The Browns’ quarterback depth chart has taken repeated blows, leading to the emergency signing of Tyler Huntley. That move underscored the instability and the need for a reliable option. Gabriel still appears unsettled in the pocket, his reads inconsistent, his timing unsteady. And Sanders? His oblique continues to hold him back. For now, the rookie remains a question mark, and his path to meaningful snaps has been delayed. We will have to wait and watch what happens next.