Cleveland

Browns

Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot broke the news first, stating that the star defensive end was cited going 100 mph in a 60 mph zone just after 2 am Saturday morning after the team returned from Charlotte. Cabot also noted that Garrett had “vowed to slow down” after flipping his Porsche and that the team was aware of his citation. This is unlikely to draw any league discipline but demonstrates an alarming pattern of reckless driving out of Garrett.

We take these depth charts with a grain of salt, but for anybody who thought the team would reward Sanders for his preseason performance with a higher spot on the depth chart, that would appear not to be the case. Sanders was solid in his first taste of pro football, throwing for 138 yards and two scores in nearly three full quarters of play. For now, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel all remain ahead of Sanders on the depth chart. He should see plenty of action in the Browns’ next preseason game, which will come on Saturday against the Eagles.

Kenny Pickett, the only serious contender to Flacco, has been dealing with a hamstring injury that has kept him as a 7-on-7 participant for most of the last week. Whoever wins this job will be one of the lowest-regarded fantasy options in the league, but Flacco’s success in Kevin Stefanski’s offense in 2023 at least throws some optimistic scenarios on the table for Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku.

This comes just days after Shedeur Sanders impressed in his preseason debut against the Panthers. While keeping four quarterbacks would be unconventional, the Browns’ quarterback room is anything but stable. Joe Flacco is preparing for what may be his final season. Meanwhile, Kenny Pickett is injured and has proven unreliable as a starter, while Sanders, along with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who is also dealing with an injury, has a lot to prove. Sanders’ performance on Friday could earn him increased reps with the first or second-string offense if Pickett and Gabriel are unable to practice this week, which could also lead to him seeing a significant amount of snaps in Saturday’s preseason game against the Eagles.

Sampson got the start, taking 8-of-9 backfield snaps to begin the game while forcing one missed tackle along the way. Sampson remains a reasonable late-round dart throw, penciled in as the Browns’ No. 2 running back.

Sanders had his ups and downs but looked good completing passes over the middle. He also lost six yards via two sacks. All in all, this was a promising performance for the Browns’ No. 4 quarterback. It should be unsurprising for us to see him challenge Dillon Gabriel for the No. 3 role next week.

Sanders has been stuck in the No. 4 quarterback spot since the Browns drafted him. Turning in a solid showing could at least get him on equal footing with Dillon Gabriel, who’s already taken snaps with the first-team offense in practice.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said he was “cautiously optimistic” that Judkins would play in 2025, but that outcome now appears less likely. The second-round rookie remains unsigned as he awaits trial for his domestic battery arrest.

Both Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel are expected to sit as they nurse various injuries. At 40 years old, Joe Flacco has seen enough preseason reps for one lifetime and will get the day off. That leaves just Sanders and recently-signed Tyler Huntley for Friday’s game against the Panthers. Huntley was signed as a camp body and isn’t being evlauated for a roster spot by the staff, meaning Sanders should get plenty of run in his preseason debut. The game will give him a chance to pass Gabriel on the depth chart, though one of Flacco or Pickett is expected to take the team’s first snap under center in Week 1.