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Shedeur Sanders moves up Browns QB depth chart after Joe Flacco trade
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- Shedeur Sanders moves up Browns QB depth chart after Joe Flacco trade
Shedeur Sanders just got a promotion.
The Cleveland Browns traded veteran backup quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, according to multiple reports, meaning Sanders, the fifth-round rookie, is the team's new backup quarterback.
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Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders , had exclusively served in an emergency third quarterback role for the Browns so far this season.
During training camp, fellow rookie and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel beat out Sanders for the backup job to start the season. Ahead of Week 5, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Gabriel would replace Flacco and make his first career start against the Minnesota Vikings in London.
BROWNS TRADE: Cleveland trading Joe Flacco to Cincinnati Bengals, per reports
Gabriel threw for 190 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions while going 19-of-33 on pass attempts (57.6% completion rate). He's in line to make his second career start against the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday.
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Sanders will play his first regular season game as the Browns' second-string quarterback in Week 6.
Browns QB depth chart
Cleveland's decision to trade Flacco to the Bengals keeps the veteran not only in the state of Ohio, but in the AFC North division. It also leaves the Browns with just two quarterbacks on its active roster after having as many as four in training camp.
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Bailey Zappe (practice squad)
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Deshaun Watson (PUP list – Achilles)
The two active quarterbacks still on the Browns' roster are both rookies. Gabriel was the earlier draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, with Cleveland selecting the Oregon product in the third round. Sanders came off of the board one day, two rounds and 50 picks later in late April.
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Zappe spent training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs and was waived as part of roster cuts in late August. He signed to the Browns' practice squad a few days later. This is his second stint with Cleveland after the team first signed him off of the Chiefs' practice squad in 2024. Zappe started the Browns' Week 18 game against the Baltimore Ravens , going 16-of-31 for 170 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Watson has remained sidelined since Week 7 last year, when he ruptured his Achilles tendon in a game against the Bengals. He re-ruptured the tendon in January, which may keep him out for the entirety of 2025.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Browns QB depth chart features Shedeur Sanders as new backup
