By Rowan Fisher-ShottonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberFor the first time this season, Shedeur Sanders has appeared atop the Cleveland Browns’ unofficial depth chart as the team’s listed QB1, a change that follows his first NFL start and a 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
In Sanders' official NFL debut in Week 12, he completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while helping the Browns snap a three-game skid.
That stat line, and the win that accompanied it, prompted coach Kevin Stefanski to name Sanders the starter for Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Tuesday's depth chart move, reported by local beat writer Mary Kay Cabot, is the latest, clearest signal that Sanders may have done enough to have permanently won the QB job in Cleveland.
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Browns third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel was the team’s starter before suffering a concussion in Week 11, which opened the door for Shedeur Sanders to make his first NFL start after serving as the primary backup.
In eight appearances this season, Gabriel completed just 59.2% of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions, stats that fueled calls for Sanders to get more snaps.
Gabriel has since cleared concussion protocol, but the unofficial depth chart now lists Sanders as QB1 with Gabriel as QB2.
"Obviously, the number one job of a quarterback is to win, so excited to get that first win under his belt," Stefanski said on Sanders when announcing Sanders as the Week 13 starter.
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This marks a notable turn for Cleveland, which appears to be leaning from long-term development toward immediate competitiveness.
The decision to list Sanders as QB1 shows a coaching staff willing to ride young play when it leads to results.
If Sanders builds on his Week 12 performance and holds up against San Francisco, the Browns could solidify him as their starter for the rest of the season — something fans have pushed for in recent weeks.
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