The Cleveland Browns recently confirmed the belief most have had for months now regarding former Colorado star Shedeur Sanders, listing him as the No. 4 quarterback on their depth chart leading up to their first preseason game on Friday against the Carolina Panthers.
That also confirmed Robert Griffin III’s belief that the Browns are “setting Sanders up to fail.”
Griffin has remained adamant since the Browns selected Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft that the organization did him no favors by picking both him and Dillon Gabriel.
Along with putting Sanders down at 4th string in their first unofficial depth chart, the Browns also added a fifth quarterback, Tyler Huntley, to the fold.
In a post on X, Griffin again claimed that Sanders is being “set up to fail” by the Browns organization. But despite that, Sanders has shown the potential he has in his limited reps in training camp.
“Shedeur Sanders is being set up to fail in Cleveland,” wrote Griffin. “But God’s got him showing out even with limited reps.”
Shedeur Sanders is being set up to fail in Cleveland. But God’s got him showing out even with limited reps.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 5, 2025
Although some think training camp stats prove much, the stats from Browns training camp thus far largely support Griffin’s point about Sanders.
Sanders has been the low man on the totem pole in terms of reps, aside from Kenny Pickett, who has been nursing a hamstring injury. But he has put up impressive numbers in the limited opportunities he has received.
The Browns are off tomorrow. Here’s how all 4 QBs have performed through 9 training camp practices.
Kenny Pickett has not done team drills since last week due to a hamstring. Shedeur Sanders missed one practice of team reps with arm soreness. pic.twitter.com/4AezmRgJQV
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 2, 2025
Sanders will have the opportunity that Griffin has been pleading for in the Browns’ first preseason game on Friday. Per beat writer Mary Kay Cabot, Sanders is expected to start against the Panthers due to injuries to Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel, who are both ahead of him on the depth chart.
#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders is expected to start Friday night’s preseason opener on the road vs. the #Panthers with Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel both nursing hamstring injuries, source tells clevelanddotcom: —-> https://t.co/rGobOe9RtW
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 5, 2025
For RGIII and those like him, this is a double-edged sword. Sanders might show out in the game and prove their point that he deserves to be higher up on the depth chart. On the flip side, however, this makes it harder to argue that he isn’t getting a fair shake from the Browns organization.