CLEVELAND, Ohio – When the Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders, I sort of moaned.
It was nothing personal against Sanders, other than I knew the rookie quarterback would bring his celebrity status to Cleveland. I also believed it would put pressure on the team to play him.
I had watched a few of his games at Colorado, especially BYU’s 36-14 victory over Sanders and the Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl. It was clear he holds the ball too long and tries to make big plays by dropping back … and back … and even farther back.
That leads to disastrous sacks. That was evident in the few games I watched.
I considered him a project as a QB, a middle-round pick who would require patience. He has only played for his father – Deion Sanders. The Hall of Famer was Shedeur’s high school offensive coordinator and head coach at Jackson State and Colorado.
I feared Shedeur coming to Cleveland would lead to what we saw Sunday – yet another young QB pressed into action and probably not ready for it. It started with Tim Couch when the franchise returned in 1999 and continued with DeShone Kizer, Colt McCoy and many others.
That’s why I had tremendous sympathy for the situation Sanders found himself facing Sunday in the Browns’ 23-16 loss to Baltimore. Nothing in his background prepared him for life as an NFL backup. He had been the prime prospect in his father’s care. Together, they revived the football programs at Jackson State and Colorado.
Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens, November 16, 2025
It was a rough first game for Shedeur Sanders. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Here comes the truth
Yes, the Browns can be faulted to an extent because Sanders had no practice with the starters once the season began. There was very little – if any – in training camp.
But that is normal procedure in the NFL.
Career backup QBs Luke McCown and Brian Hoyer posted on X about that. Backups rarely (if ever) have what is known as “practice reps” with the starters. Those reps all go to the starting QB.
McCown posted:
“The only time mid-round pick rookies and backups get meaningful reps is in training camp, and they are never with the ones (starters) unless you are competing or starting that next preseason game.
“Regular-season practices have 10-12 plays per period. … That’s team run, team pass, team blitz pickup, and some teams still do a 7v7 period.
“But for the most part, that’s 30-40 live full-speed reps of the actual game plan practiced on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the NFL. These all go to the starting QB. He’s the one that has to get ready.
“I’ve been there, LITERALLY, with the Browns as a rookie, as a mid-round pick. So have many other rookies. You play. You learn and grow and get better. Or you don’t. Absolutely, reps help. Absolutely, he’ll be better with a full week of preparation. But those are the hands as backups we’re dealt. In those moments, we have to make the most of them.”
McCown was a fourth-round pick by the Browns in 2004. This was the year Butch Davis quit in the middle of the season due to “panic attacks.” The Browns opened with Jeff Garcia as their starter. Kelly Holcomb was the backup. McCown was the No. 3 QB.
Injuries wiped out Garcia and Holcomb. McCown started four games, lost them all. He completed 49% of his passes, four TDs compared to seven interceptions. The Browns finished with a 4-12 record.
He didn’t appear in another NFL game until three years later. He lasted 13 NFL seasons with five different teams – making 10 career starts.
LUKE McCown
A rookie in 2004 with the Browns, Luke McCown knows what Shedeur Sanders is going through.The Plain Dealer
What about Sanders?
The fifth-round pick has above-average arm strength. At 6-foot-2, he has the size needed to be an NFL quarterback. He completed 74% of his passes in college, best in Division I in 2024.
Many of his throws were short. Only 24% of his completions were at least 10 yards in the air. He was a no-huddle, rhythm passer with quick throws.
That’s not the Browns offense at the moment.
He was sacked 92 times in the last two seasons (2023-24), the most of any Division I quarterback. After entering Sunday’s game to start the third quarter, Sanders went 4 for 16 passing for 47 yards. He was sacked twice. I counted at least six QB hits after he threw the ball. He threw an interception.
He was holding the ball for 3.3 seconds. That’s the second-longest in the NFL this season. Only Chicago’s Caleb Williams (3.4) hangs on to the ball longer, according to Pro Football Focus.
The average NFL quarterback holds the ball for about 2.7 seconds. Yes, that half-second makes a big difference in terms of avoiding sacks.
In Sunday’s game, Sanders looked overwhelmed, which was no surprise.
Just as it’s no surprise most backups are veteran quarterbacks who learn to adapt.
I hope Sanders has more chances to play, especially when he can prepare as a starter. But keep in mind, he is a fifth-round pick regardless of his public profile. The NFL is an unforgiving league, even for first-round rookie QBs. That’s why this season will probably be a demanding one for Sanders.
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