The quarterback battle at the Cleveland Browns’ camp is far from over, and it seems like it will continue for quite some time. In fact, even once the season begins, Head Coach Kevin Stefanski will have to make a decision-and surely there will be more chapters in the Browns’ quarterback saga, especially with the polarizing figure of Shedeur Sanders involved.
Shedeur Sanders entered the NFL as a star. He was once projected to be a first-round draft pick. However, it’s likely that NFL teams didn’t want all the attention that comes with being Deion Sanders’ son, and they let him slide until the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns picked him.
In that same draft, the Browns had already selected quarterback Dillon Gabriel from the Oregon Ducks two rounds earlier than Sanders. So currently, four quarterbacks are battling for the starting job: Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and the aforementioned Gabriel and Sanders. Flacco appears to have the edge, but nothing is certain yet.
Former NFL head coach thinks Sanders’ numbers are an illusion
According to ESPN, Shedeur Sanders posted solid stats in OTAs (Organized Team Activities), throwing 9 touchdown passes and just 1 interception. He also delivered some impressive throws during the mandatory minicamp, which has led many analysts to believe he should be the starter.
But there’s a key issue: Shedeur Sanders is the only one of the four quarterbacks who hasn’t had the opportunity to train with the first team. That means these stats could be misleading, according to former NFL head coach Eric Mangini.
“All of his snaps have been with the backend guys,” Mangini said on The Herd. “He hasn’t gotten any reps with the starters. That’s a good decision, because as soon as he gets in with the ones, the hype train is going to roll even further. I say his numbers have to be taken with a big grain of salt. There’s a lot of learning going on for him right now, and seeing good numbers is positive, but he’s also working against the bottom of the roster, so his numbers should be a bit higher just because of that.”
Not training with the first team doesn’t mean the battle is lost for Shedeur Sanders, but his fans-and those who want to see him as the starter-need to be patient. Surely, because of his talent and the mentality he’s shown during practices, his opportunity will come eventually.
Remember, Shedeur Sanders is coming off a season at the University of Colorado in which he threw 37 touchdown passes and completed 74 percent of his throws, leading the nation.
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