CLEVELAND, Ohio — Shedeur Sanders’ debut for the Browns was a difficult one, and the numbers reflect it. He completed 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards, threw an interception, was sacked twice, and the offense never found steady footing after he entered the game.
Performances like that are hard, but they are also a normal part of a young quarterback’s development. The speed of the game increases, the windows shrink, and the pressure arrives faster than anything a rookie has experienced before. These early challenges are expected, and they often become the moments that help a quarterback grow the most.
At its core, this is not about comparing Shedeur Sanders to Dillon Gabriel or turning it into one quarterback versus another. It is about the Browns finding a long-term answer at the most important position on the field. Young quarterbacks develop at different speeds, and both will have stretches where they struggle and stretches where they flash real potential. The focus should remain on identifying the player who can lead this franchise for years to come.
Sanders has talent and toughness. With time, coaching, and experience, he has every opportunity to turn a rough debut into the foundation of something much stronger.
Let’s take a look at some moments that showed why some believe there is long-term upside with Sanders, and also the predictable struggles that come with being a young quarterback seeing real NFL speed for the first time.
The Good
Sanders plays with great poise and confidence, and his pedigree as Prime Time’s son means the stage is never too big for him. This kid truly believes in his leadership abilities and his physical tools, and that showed even in limited action.
He had a couple of solid early completions that helped him settle into the flow of the game. He started with a clean checkdown underneath from the pocket, where he trusted the read and got the ball out on rhythm. He followed that with a well-placed hitch route while rolling and changing the launch point, a subtle but important sign that he can operate outside of structure without sacrificing accuracy.
He also scrambled for a first down, showing that he can use his feet in crucial third-down situations when the play breaks down. His best throw of the afternoon came later on a deep dig route over the center of the field to fellow rookie Harold Fannin Jr. It was a throw that demanded timing, anticipation, and conviction.
That play highlighted the natural arm strength that makes him such an intriguing young quarterback. When his feet are set and his weight transfer is clean, Sanders can drive the football to every area of the field and flash the long-term upside the Browns are hoping to develop.
In the clip below, Sanders works a simple high/low, sees the linebackers sit on tight end David Njoku, sets his feet, and rips the dig to Fannin behind them. This was his best throw of the day and a clean repetition.
In the clip below, Sanders does an excellent job of showing his mobility. As he sprints right, the Ravens set the edge to box him in, but he stays calm, finds a crease, and bursts through it for a first down.
Below, Cleveland moves the pocket with a naked boot into a smash concept. Sanders reads it, sees the soft corner, and hits Tillman on the hitch. This demonstrates smart and efficient football.
The Bad
Sanders also had some clear struggles that showed where he is in his development. He missed several open receivers, including throws that were available within the structure of the play. Regardless, the play collapsed fast and forced him into a tough spot that he compounded with a poor throw.
There were multiple snaps where he held the football too long and allowed pressure to collapse the pocket. He also has to get rid of the football and avoid drifting backward in an attempt to extend the play.
These issues are not new for him. Many of the same habits that showed up at Colorado surfaced again on the NFL stage. His competitive toughness is obvious, but his eyes, timing, and overall pocket discipline need to continue to grow. This league exposes every hesitation, every unnecessary retreat, and every late decision.
In the clip below, Sanders throws a crucial interception. The decision is poor, but the protection slides right, leaving an overload on the left. He gets hit as he throws and the play collapses fast.
Below is a look at a miss from Sanders against the Ravens. On the “spider” concept, the flat defender jumps the first in-route, leaving Tillman wide open on the second. Sanders just never gets his eyes there. These are details he’ll tighten up with more reps.
Bottom line
It is premature to say that Sanders is going to be a star or a bust. Like most young quarterbacks, he will need help from his coaches and his teammates to grow. Success for NFL rookie quarterbacks usually takes time.
While a few exceptions exist, most young passers experience highs and lows. I suspect the same for Sanders as he looks to get his first start in Vegas.
Lance Reisland is the former coach at Garfield Heights High School, where he spent 18 seasons as an assistant for his father, Chuck, and four as head coach, from 2014 to 2018. In 2018, his team finished 11-1 and appeared in the OHSAA Division II regional semifinals. That team went 10-0 and made history as the first Garfield Heights team in 41 years to have an undefeated regular season along with beating Warren G. Harding for the first playoff win in school history.
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