Shedeur Sanders finally got his opportunity to start for the Cleveland Browns.
And he’s seizing it.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Sanders’ calmness during his first week of practice with the starters has stood out.
Russini reported that Sanders has been spotted roaming the halls of Berea with his iPad under his arm, bouncing from meeting to meeting while creating extra time for film sessions with head coach Kevin Stefanski.
One Browns player said Sanders is “treating this start like a final exam he can’t fail.”
Sanders entered action when fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens. In one half of action, Sanders completed just 4-of-16 passes and threw an interception.
After the game, he took accountability for Cleveland’s loss to the Ravens. He admitted to reporters that he played badly. According to Russini, he’s determined to rewrite his narrative of being a project quarterback.
During the week, Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees complimented Sanders’ development. When Sanders met with the media, he professed his belief that he could be the quarterback that stops Cleveland’s ongoing search since 1999.
“I like pressure in life, I’m just excited for everything,” Sanders said. “I feel like I’m the guy. I know I’m the guy.”
One Browns staffer told Russini that Sanders even has his iPad on in the cafeteria, with his meal tray in front of him, the tablet has Raiders tape on it and Sanders has been dissecting it as if his career depended on it – and it likely does.
Stefanski refused to speculate if Sanders could replace Gabriel as the team’s starting quarterback with a quality start against the Raiders. But the Browns have two victories heading into this matchup and Gabriel has wildly underwhelmed. If Sanders performs well and escapes Las Vegas with a victory, it will be hard for Stefanski to ignore.
After the Browns return from Las Vegas, they will have six regular season games on their schedule. While NFL Playoffs are an afterthought in Cleveland, the Browns can use those games to evaluate the talent on their roster.
The Browns have two first round picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. While they are expected to use one of those selections on a quarterback, Sanders could make the Browns rethink that with a dominant stretch of games.
But that’s not the focus of the polarizing former Colorado quarterback. According to reports, his teammates are impressed with how he’s preparing each day to defeat the Raiders and rewrite his story in Cleveland.