The Cleveland Browns are likely to keep four quarterbacks into the regular season. And, unfortunately for Shedeur Sanders' fans, it seems clear who the fourth quarterback will be to start the season. Sanders' biggest battle this training camp was probably against fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted in the third round, two rounds ahead of Sanders. If anything, Gabriel probably moved closer to being the team's second quarterback than moving down the depth chart. He had two strong preseason performances, including one on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams. And while Gabriel played very well Saturday, Sanders struggled in the second half. He didn't pass for a first down and all five of his possessions ended in a punt. The Browns lost nine net yards on those five series with Sanders in the game. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Sanders couldn't get anything going after Gabriel looked very sharp. Gabriel came in after starter Joe Flacco played a little more than a quarter and completed 12 of 19 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown in less than a quarter of work. Sanders, playing his first snaps at home, started the second half. His first four drives didn't result in a single first down. He finished 3 of 6 for just 14 yards in almost a full half of work. He was under pressure on many plays, though he also had a few plays in which he held the ball too long. He took five sacks. "Obviously we didn't play great as an offense in the second half," Browns coachKevin Stefanski said. "That's never on one person." Sanders said after the game he "obviously" thought he would make the 53-man roster, and took blame for the sacks. "Lot to improve on," Sanders said,via Zac Jackson of The Athletic. "Those sacks today were definitely on me." On a day around the NFL in which many teams rested their starters, the Browns wanted Flacco to get some preseason playing time before the regular season begins. Flacco got warm on Cleveland's second drive, completing all four of his passes and capping the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Flacco threads the needle for the touchdown 🎯Watch on@NFLNetworkStream on@NFLPluspic.twitter.com/LNx6v9eXD5 — NFL (@NFL)August 23, 2025 Flacco played one more series, into the second quarter, and then his day was done. Flacco played 17 snaps with most of the starters. It might have been a costly tune-up; Browns starting center Ethan Pocic went down with a knee injury and left the stadium in a knee brace, per reports. Flacco playing cut into the snaps for the other three quarterbacks. Kenny Pickett, who dealt with a hamstring injury for much of training camp but is still listed as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart, did not play. Pickett didn't play at all this preseason. For the first time Gabriel and Sanders were both healthy for a preseason game, and Gabriel played ahead of Sanders. That's not a big surprise; the Browns have had Sanders fourth on their depth chart since he was drafted and that hasn't changed. Gabriel came in early during the second quarter and played well, as he did in theBrowns' second preseason game.Sanders, meanwhile,looked good in the preseason openerwhen Gabriel was out with a hamstring injury, putting some pressure on Gabriel to match or exceed that. Gabriel didn't do anything to lose ground to Sanders with his strong preseason performance. And Sanders didn't help himself when he did play Saturday. Sanders came in to start the second half against the Rams. He completed his first pass for six yards but that drive was a three-and-out. Sanders' second drive was a three-and-out as well, with him throwing two incompletions. On the third drive he completed one pas for a yard and then was sacked and fumbled on third down. He was sacked for a 24-yard loss on second down of his fourth drive, and the Browns punted again without picking up a first down. The offensive line in front of Sanders did not play well. .@RamsNFLclose in and notch their 5th sack of the dayWatch on@NFLNetworkStream on@NFLPluspic.twitter.com/rO3jk9q09S — NFL (@NFL)August 23, 2025 The Browns finally got a first down in the second half with less than nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. They picked it up on a pair of runs. After that, Sanders held the ball hoping for something to develop downfield and got sacked again. He almost was sacked again on third down but scrambled out of a tackle and got a pass off, though it was a bit behind his receiver and fell incomplete. That was it for Sanders. With less than two minutes left the Browns put in Tyler Huntley at quarterback. Stefanski said the team planned beforehand to get Huntley in the game. Sanderstold reportershe was preparing to go back in for the two-minute drill but then was informed Huntley was going in the game. The Browns plan to make the uncommon move of keeping four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, according toMary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The team has hinted that it would keep all four. Given that Sanders will likely start the season as QB4, it might be a while before he plays again, if he does at all this regular season.