Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders could be a candidate for the practice squad.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders could be a candidate for the practice squad.
Shedeur Sanders’ spot with the Cleveland Browns is still far from secure, with at least one longtime insider suggesting the rookie quarterback would be better off stashed on the practice squad.
The Browns are expected to keep four quarterbacks on the roster — Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Sanders, who will be the No. 4 option. It’s unconventional but something Cleveland says they’re comfortable with.
“It’s not much of a decision for us. All four guys have done what we’ve asked. Obviously, three of them have dealt with injuries throughout their time here,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said during an in-game interview during the team’s final preseason game. “We have a room where we like all the guys in there. We don’t see it as a problem; we see it as more of an opportunity.”
Grossi: Shedeur Sanders Should be on Practice Squad
Long-time Browns reporter Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland said his ideal quarterback room would have been Flacco, Gabriel and Tyler Huntley, who was released on Sunday.
“Huntley is an ideal third quarterback. He’s got the physical legs to run out of trouble if he gets in the game,” Grossi said on Monday. “Then the question is what are you going to do with Shedeur? He’ll be like a practice squad player on the regular roster.”
Grossi thinks putting Sanders on the practice squad is the right move for the Browns, and he wouldn’t worry about another team claiming the fifth-round pick.
“I really doubt it,” Grossi said of the idea of Sanders being signed by another team. “Everyone had a chance to take him in the draft.”
The fact that the statement came from Grossi is interesting. He had a clash with Sanders behind the scenes following the team’s first preseason game.
“Tony, I be hoping you have something positive to say about me. You always say negative stuff about me. I’ve never seen you say anything positive about me. And I’m like, ‘I ain’t done nothing to you,’” Sanders said before cracking a smile and walking away. “What I do to you, Tony?”
Shedeur Sanders is Eager to Grow With Browns
Sanders closed out the preseason on a sour note, completing just three passes and taking five sacks in the Browns’ finale against the Rams. His night drew extra attention when Cleveland pulled him for a potential game-winning two-minute drill after he had played the entire second half.
Sanders isn’t dwelling on the rough outing, instead focusing on steady growth in his rookie year.
“Thanks everyone for the love and support,” Sanders wrote in an Instagram post. “There’s a lot to learn from this preseason, but I’m really thankful for the opportunity to be out there. Day by day, rep by rep, I’ll keep learning and getting better.”
Flacco will open the season as the Browns’ starter, but many expect Cleveland to rotate quarterbacks at some point. If the season starts to unravel, Sanders could still see the field before long.