The Cleveland Browns can’t ignore that Shedeur Sanders is moving the needle for them, even if they aren’t giving him first-team reps yet. Sanders’ preseason debut was the most watched preseason game in Week 1 when the Carolina Panthers hosted the Browns. Shedeur tossed a couple touchdown passes in the win.
Cleveland may not admit it yet, but they might not have any choice other than to play Sanders this season, and probably earlier than they anticipated. The good thing is there’s a whole lot of hype around Sanders, which could be the best thing for a team in need of something to be excited about.
The Browns may not want to admit it, but for now, they have their franchise quarterback. This fanbase has been here before with the excitement of a rookie quarterback that’s sidelined to a more experienced veteran. Will Sanders be able to do enough to earn a roster spot and possibly start this year? It seems NFL fans are going to watch him either way.
Shedeur Sanders will either be Johnny Manziel or Baker Mayfield, either way it’s a win for the Cleveland Browns
Sanders has two paths ahead of him as the hype around his NFL debut is surmounting. He has one of two ways the trajectory of his career can go in Cleveland. He could be Johnny Manziel. The arrogant, flashy quarterback that felt disrespected, falling to the end of the first round. When he finally made his much anticipated NFL debut, it fizzled out as quickly as it started.
He barely made it two seasons before the Browns were done with his antics. He went from a fan favorite to the most hated. That’s one path Sanders can take as he prepares for his professional future. Then there’s Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield took over a team that was fresh off an 0-16 team. He didn’t get the Week 1 start, but with each loss that piled up, Browns fans clamored for his debut. Then the Thursday night game against the New York Jets, he finally helped the Browns win a football game. And he took this team to the playoffs and almost to the AFC championship game.
Of course, every Browns fan wants Sanders to go the Mayfield route. He’s shown he’s not the arrogant player he was portrayed during his pre-draft interviews. His play is not only exciting the fan base but NFL fans as a whole.
This coaching staff can’t afford to do Sanders dirty. They have every right to be patient with him. It makes sense not to rush his progression, that could set him up for failure. The Browns have a miserable quarterback situation, but Sanders has been the lone bright spot. He, too, can become the savior for a team that’s desperate for a franchise quarterback.