Shedeur Sanders got his first taste of NFL football on Sunday, and things could have gone better.
After starter Dillon Gabriel was knocked out of action due to a concussion, Sanders took over under center for the Browns while facing off against the Ravens. While he entered the game to quite a bit of fanfare, Sanders was unable to hold Cleveland’s lead, and finished the game 4-of-16 passing with an interception.
While coach Kevin Stefanski made clear after the game that Gabriel would have the starting job back once he cleared concussion protocol, he also acknowledged that there was a lot that needed to happen before Sunday for Gabriel could get back under center. And according to a Monday report from Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, things are currently lining up for Sanders to get the start against the Raiders in Week 12.
Sanders struggled through the first NFL snaps of his career, but this time he’ll have the advantage of a full week of practice with the team’s starters, which could help him feel a bit more comfortable when he takes the field.
Heading into the year, NFL fans were somewhat confused by how the Browns had handled their quarterback room. After signing Joe Flacco and trading for Kenny Pickett, Cleveland then drafted both Gabriel and Sanders in the spring, carrying four quarterbacks through training camp.
But the Browns have shuffled things up quite a bit since then. Pickett was dealt before the start of the year, and Flacco was sent to the Bengals in a mid-season deal to take over for an underperforming Jake Browning. Suddenly, Gabriel and Sanders were the only healthy quarterbacks left on the roster.
Gabriel has held the starting job since Flacco’s departure, but given that the Browns had two rookie quarterbacks to get a look at and pretty dismal prospects at making a postseason run, fans were beginning to wonder when Sanders might get a shot to see what he can do with the offense.
While it didn’t come under the best circumstances, Sanders is now getting his chance, and will have his work cut out for him if he’s to shake off last week’s tough outing and turn things around for the Browns.
I doubt many football fans had a Week 12 matchup between the Raiders and Browns circled on their calendars, but it’s certainly circled now.
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