For many, the quarterback competition in the Cleveland Browns has been unfair, as Shedeur Sanders had not been able to practice with the first team until the week before his starting debut against the Las Vegas Raiders. In fact, when Sanders debuted in the NFL, entering in the second half against the Ravens, it was clear that the quarterback was not in rhythm.
It is worth remembering that Shedeur Sanders was not selected until the fifth round of the last NFL Draft, even though he was projected to be the second quarterback chosen, only after Cam Ward. However, five quarterbacks were picked before him, until his name came at pick number 144 by the Cleveland Browns, and from there his struggles began.
At the start of the preseason, Shedeur Sanders was the fourth quarterback option, behind Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and rookie Dillon Gabriel, who did get opportunities and therefore started earlier. The reality is that Sanders has simply disappointed, which is why, for now, he remains the Browns’ starting quarterback.
Cam Newton believes Shedeur Sanders should be treated like Dillon Gabriel
Dillon Gabriel started in 6 games, leaving a 1-5 record. Despite his poor performance and evident mistakes, patience with him was considerable. It was only after he suffered a concussion against the Ravens that Kevin Stefanski had to put Shedeur Sanders on the field. The reality is that, while Sanders has not been spectacular, he has shown better performance.
In the game against the San Francisco 49ers, Shedeur Sanders did not play badly, especially in the first half, where he threw a touchdown pass and with a conversion the Browns took the lead, although they eventually collapsed. The problem was that in the second half he barely exceeded 50 passing yards, which brought criticism.
Still, what we’ve seen from Shedeur Sanders has not been remarkable, but he has taken more risks than Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel, which is why some have called for patience from Kevin Stefanski. One of them is former NFL quarterback and 2015 MVP Cam Newton, who shared his views on ESPN’s First Take: “I believe in equal opportunity. I believe that whatever you’ve given one, you should give the other.”
For now, Kevin Stefanski has not overreacted and announced in a press conference following the loss to the San Francisco 49ers that Shedeur Sanders will remain the starting quarterback for the next game against the Tennessee Titans. There are also rumors that he will continue as the starter through the end of the season.
Read the full article here
