Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders received an eye-opening critique from a veteran journalist who covers the franchise. The life of a mid-round quarterback is not an easy one. Without the luxury of a guaranteed roster spot, every practice rep, throw, and film study could determine their immediate future.
Despite a storied collegiate career and a famous surname, Sanders does not differ from his contemporaries in that aspect. Presumably, with the odds stacked against him due to positional depth, he will need to fight to stick with the team. Whether Cleveland is his long-term home remains up in the air, according to one media member.
Browns Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders’ Labeled ‘Afterthought’ by NFL Insider
If you take away the last name or lineage and just compare Sanders and fellow Brown Dillon Gabriel, similarities and stark differences appear. Both athletes posted prodigious numbers in college. Similarly, each possesses a toughness, allowing them to stand in the pocket under pressure, delivering the pass.
However, Sanders, on film, looked like the better player. He fell to the fifth round, apparently based on interviews and nothing related to the game itself, making him a non-priority on many draft boards. Additionally, the thought of the franchise prioritizing Gabriel over Sanders became a topic of conversation. NFL insider Mary Kay Cabot offered this opinion on “The Orange and Brown Talk” podcast.
“I feel this way because this is the commitment they showed to them when they acquired them. Shedeur and Joe (Flacco) were pretty much afterthoughts for the most part. They did not clamor to get them. And they would have been perfectly fine if both of those guys landed with another football team.”
“They would not have been perfectly fine if Kenny Pickett had landed on another football team. They would not have been perfectly fine if Dillon Gabriel had, either. Those are the two guys they wanted, and Joe and Shedeur are here for other reasons.”
While not dismissing Cabot’s quotes entirely, why would the Browns waste a draft pick on a player that they do not want? Additionally, why sign that player to a four-year deal, essentially committing salary cap dollars to an alleged afterthought? Moreover, why did Cleveland draft two quarterbacks if they were sold on Kenny Pickett?
On top of all of this, Deshaun Watson and his exorbitant contract still hover above the organization. Basically, the team employs five quarterbacks for essentially three spots. Two of those occupy roster spots for purportedly unknown reasons.
If the Browns truly do not want Sanders, they either need to cut him or he should ask for a release. How can a rookie legitimately compete with three others vying for reps? Granted, as Cabot mentioned, Flacco does not need as many reps due to his experience.
At the same time, Pickett, by virtue of his career touchdown/interception ratio of 15:14, must take all of the snaps that he possibly can. The entire franchise, on the offensive side of the ball, looks in disarray. Double-dipping in the quarterback draft pool works when no veteran starters exist on the depth chart. Anything else could potentially invite another disaster.