CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are likely handing the keys to the offense to rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders this Sunday, and the coaching staff faces a crucial challenge: How do you harness a natural gunslinger’s instincts without completely dampening what makes him special?
Sanders, thrust into action during the second half against the Ravens, showed flashes of brilliance but also the expected growing pains of a rookie signal-caller. Now, with a full week of preparation ahead of his first NFL start, the Browns are meticulously crafting a game plan designed specifically for his unique skillset.
“I think what they will do is they will design a game plan specifically for Shedeur and his skill set. He’s more of a drop back passer than Dillon Gabriel and I think once he has a full week of first-team reps working with those starters and when he’s running a scheme that is uniquely suited to him and his elite accuracy, which I think they might let him take a few shots because he can get the ball there, then I think he’s going to play with a little bit more confidence than you saw him play on Sunday against the Ravens in the second half of that game,” Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot said on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast.
The central challenge for Sanders will be finding the balance between his natural inclination to hunt for big plays and the discipline required to manage an NFL game. This tension between playing it safe and letting it rip will define his development both this Sunday and beyond.
“He has to be a little bit more of a game manager. He can’t be going out there and trying to make those wild plays on every single play. He can’t try to do too much and get outside of himself because that’s when he will press and that’s when he will throw those interceptions,” Cabot emphasized.
The podcast crew agreed that the first series of plays will be critical for Sanders’ confidence. Orange and Brown Talk host Dan Labbe highlighted the importance of scripting early success: “Can they give him some quick, easy, one- or two-read throws where he’s not thinking about the pressure. Look this way, throw it to this guy. Keep it really simple.”
This approach mirrors what many teams do with rookie quarterbacks — simplify the game, create easy completions and gradually build confidence throughout the contest. Cleveland.com film analyst Lance Reisland suggested that Sanders’ Colorado film indicates he might excel in empty formations: “Colorado’s goal was to beat the blitz. Your pre-snap is your first read. If you don’t like (that), that’s gone and then your next read and then you get rid of the football.”
But Reisland also emphasized that regardless of Sanders’ development, winning must remain the primary goal. “So the plan has still got to be, I don’t care if they’re 3-12, then you go 4-12 and then you go 5-12 and I don’t care, that will never change for me because I’ve been in that situation where if you don’t plan to win every week, your culture is crap.”
The podcast discussion highlights the delicate balance the Browns must strike: developing a rookie quarterback with significant potential while also maintaining a winning culture. For Sanders, Sunday represents both an opportunity to showcase his talents and a significant challenge to prove he can operate within the structure of an NFL offense.
Will Shedeur Sanders find the sweet spot between game manager and playmaker? Tune in Sunday to find out as the Browns face the Raiders in Las Vegas.
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