Last summer, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders found himself in a position room with three other quarterbacks. On top of that, he became the topic of media debate on the radio and online. Whether it was a war of attrition or talent eventually rising to the top of the depth chart, Sanders found himself as the starter.
He didn’t see the field until November. While he started only seven games, winning three, the former Colorado product earned his first Pro Bowl selection as a replacement for Drake Maye. Recently, a deeper discussion regarding the Browns and the future of their starting position came to light.
Anonymous Defensive Coordinator Shades Browns QB Shedeur Sanders’ Play
Sanders heads into his second season. With Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett elsewhere, only Dillon Gabriel remains from last year. Now, with former starter Deshaun Watson returning from injury, the Browns find themselves with another quarterback controversy.
In a survey conducted by The Athletic to rank veteran quarterbacks in tiers, Sanders was ranked last, and the critiques of him highlighted specific aspects.
“He’s inaccurate at all three levels,” an executive said. “I can’t tell if he is going to get better, but there’s a huge gap between him and competent QB play.”
Sanders completed just 56.6% of his passes in his rookie season. Moreover, he recorded more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (7). According to PFN’s QB Impact Metric, he posted an impact score of 63.0, which ranked second-last in the league.
The Athletic’s survey delved into further details about the Browns’ signal-caller.
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“I’d sleep like a baby if I got to play him every week,” one defensive coordinator said about Sanders.
Even without context, it appeared as though opponents did not hold much respect for what Sanders accomplished on the field. Yet, amid the overwhelmingly negative assessment, some found a ray of daylight in the grading.
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“He’s not an on-time player, can’t really read through the coverages, is a little bit heavy-footed,” another defensive coordinator said about Sanders. “He is thicker and harder to tackle than expected, but you shouldn’t lose to him.’”
While not an elite athlete, Sanders runs with power and purpose. While he may not break long runs, he can still gain positive yardage. Another coach felt that Sanders showed enough to warrant a deeper look.
“I thought he was all right, better than expected,” this coach said. “They did a good job with him of making the game simple. And I thought Shedeur played with a chip on his shoulder.”
Watson and Sanders will continue to battle for the Browns’ starting spot. Which player will make the plays needed to secure the job?
