Shedeur Sanders is writing his own obituary as Browns search for QB answers

Shedeur Sanders doesn’t know how to handle the situation he’s in. He posted a cryptic photo on social media embracing Cleveland Browns fans and ESPN quote tweeted it on the X platform to a post about him being out with a back injury. You could read into that message one of two ways. 

Either Sanders is trying to use the media to force the Browns to play him amidst a miserable quarterback situation or he’s sabotaging his own career, which could not only get him out of Cleveland, but out of the NFL altogether. Both are an immature way to handle the situation and proof why Cleveland is non-committal on Sanders. 

The way Sanders is acting off the field makes you wonder how the Browns will handle him moving forward. Will they continue to wait and let him develop as a quarterback and leader or show everybody why they weren’t willing to turn to him before Dillon Gabriel to begin with?

Shedeur Sanders might have just ended any hope of playing for the Cleveland Browns

If Sanders had stayed off social media, it might help his case of wanting to make his NFL debut. Gabriel played cautiously through his first four NFL starts, but his two turnovers against the New England Patriots and continued lack of fluidity in the offense only shows he’s more of the problem. 

The Browns were hesitant and cautious with Sanders this season and it felt like it was because they didn’t want to force him into a bad situation. It’s now clear it’s because they don’t trust him to be a leader on this team. He doesn’t handle the media spotlight well and it’s hurting the Browns just as much as it’s hurting him.

Throwing off-the-field tantrums – metaphorically anyway – isn’t the right way to get the front office's attention. Though this is what the Browns signed up for when they drafted him, it doesn’t mean Sanders has to prove his haters right. Regardless of how Gabriel looks, Cleveland has no reason to play Sanders now and if they do play him, it wouldn’t be for the right reasons. 

The Browns are once again at square one with their quarterback situation. They have two rookies who seem like they aren’t the answer, they have a lot of offensive line problems that even elite quarterbacks would struggle with, they have a lack of weapons on offense and they have an offensive-minded coach that can’t fix the problem. 

Sanders wasn’t going to fix any of this and his latest antics prove he doesn’t even deserve the chance to. With each gimmick and childish move Sanders makes while he’s waiting for his official NFL debut, he’s quickly writing his NFL obituary. 

Browns could have ultimate 'I told you so' moment with Shedeur Sanders debut

The contrast to letting Sanders throw his own NFL career away is to throw him to the wolves and have the ultimate 'I told you so' moment very few saw coming. What if this whole time, this wasn’t about developing Sanders but accepting he’s a liability. After Sanders’ NFL preseason debut, he quickly looked like a fifth round quarterback and through the preseason, Sanders never got first team reps. 

The Browns signed backup after backup, constantly shoving Sanders to the bottom of the depth chart. It wasn’t about playing favorites or unfairly punishing him, it was about saying the quiet part out loud: Sanders isn’t good. Playing him now would shut everyone up (including Sanders) and help the Browns re-focus on their never-ending quarterback search.

Browns fans deserve to see that Sanders isn’t any better than Gabriel. Cleveland shouldn’t be doing him any favors because he doesn’t deserve them. Let him play (and most likely fail) and show everybody he was never the answer, which could be the first step in moving on from this quarterback fiasco. 

It’s time for Kevin Stefanski to take some blame in Cleveland’s quarterback problems

Just two years ago, Stefanski collected his second AP coach of the year award since he took over the Browns; now he’s on the verge of being unemployed. He’s been in charge of the offense and it’s looking like less of a quarterback problem and more of a coaching problem. 

Gabriel doesn’t look comfortable in this system just like Deshaun Watson struggled to get any momentum going as well. Joe Flacco and Jameis Winston were able to make it work, but they’re more anomalies than they are the system. The Browns have a quarterback problem and it starts with their coach and the fact that they don’t have those answers yet again, should trigger a hard reset. 

Sanders is magnifying the quarterback problems in Cleveland, but he’s not the only culprit. He’s not helping his case and he’s bringing all the stuff the front office knew behind the scenes to light. Browns fans will find out one way or another Sanders is more of a headache than an antidote.