Shedeur Sanders is racing against the clock. With NFL training camp in full swing, the rookie quarterback has little time left to reshape the narrative around him and lock down a spot on the Cleveland Browns’ final 53-man roster – and today, he took a step in the right direction.
Many analysts see Sanders as the odd man out in Cleveland’s crowded quarterback room. Veteran Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett are battling for the QB1 spot, while rookie Dillon Gabriel continues to develop quietly. Sanders, meanwhile, has often been placed at the bottom of the depth chart, with no first-team reps all offseason.
But none of that seems to be shaking the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. In fact, he’s using the doubt as fuel – and today, he showed exactly what he’s capable of with the ball in his hands.
Shedeur found the end zone
At this morning’s practice at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, Ohio, Sanders got work during 7-on-7 drills with the third team and 11-on-11 red zone drills with the second team. The former Colorado star delivered, completing 8 of 11 passes, including a red zone touchdown.
While he still hasn’t been given a chance with the first-team offense, Sanders is proving he can move the ball effectively in pressure situations. The question is whether it will be enough to change the mind of head coach Kevin Stefanski before the roster cutdown deadline on August 26.
Shedeur’s challenge? The other quarterbacks are performing, too. Flacco went 4-for-8 with the starters, while Pickett – the presumed Week 1 starter – finished 6-for-10 with two touchdowns. Gabriel, working with the second unit, threw one touchdown while completing 8 of 15 passes.
Focused and unfazed
Just days ago, reporters asked Sanders how he felt about not receiving first-team reps. His response? All class and composure.
“That’s not my place to answer,” he said. “I feel like it’s not in my control, so I’m not even going to have that in my thought process.”
His mindset is clear – stay focused, stay prepared. Whether that will be enough to earn Stefanski’s trust and a roster spot remains to be seen. But if not, today’s performance could still make a case for Shedeur’s future somewhere else in the league.
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