Browns Hint at Surprising Opportunity: Could Shedeur Sanders Be Their Next Big Quarterback?

The chatter around the Browns supposedly undermining rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders? Pure nonsense. Still, there’s this intriguing blend of hesitation and detachment from the Browns’ brass when it comes to their recent fifth-round pick. Sanders dazzled during the preseason, and yet, the subtle coldness from G.M. Andrew Berry — evident in a somewhat stiff sideline moment — hinted at an underlying caution. Sanders made history with a win in his first start, a feat not seen since 1995, but the lack of a game ball was telling. Now, as he gears up to chase another win, the team’s ambivalence persists. Reports suggest the Browns might extend Sanders a longer look this season, but shouldn’t good play simply speak for itself? This reluctance feels oddly reminiscent of a parent dampening a child’s high score with cautious words. Maybe it’s the analytics obsession, or the strategic positioning of Sanders as a short-term asset rather than the franchise’s future. Still, shouldn’t the Browns embrace the hope that their revolving door at quarterback might finally slow down? Whatever the reasons, it’s baffling — especially given the recent disaster of a trade that still looms large over the franchise. Right now, it’s way too soon to write off Sanders. So why not lean into the promise he’s already shown, instead of hitting the brakes before the ride’s even really started? LEARN MORE

The notion that the Browns are in some way sabotaging the career of quarterback Shedeur Sanders is laughable. That said, the Browns do at times seem to be ambivalent at best about their fifth-round rookie.

After Sanders made an impressive preseason debut, the sideline exchange between Sanders and G.M. Andrew Berry was a tad awkward. Sanders was excited. Berry was measured.

After Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995 (when the Ravens were the Browns), Sanders didn’t get a game ball.

Now, as Sanders prepares to attempt to become the franchise’s first rookie quarterback to win his first two starts since 1950, the message from the team is equivocal and hesitant.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, in a very early drop of a Sunday Splash! report, says that the Browns are “open to giving Sanders an extended look for the rest of this season,” with the outcome hinging on how he plays.

That should be obvious. If he plays well, he keeps playing. It shouldn’t need to be leaked and reported. Ride the wave, don’t tap the brakes.

That doesn’t mean the Brown should build false hype. But why act like a parent who responds to a kid coming home with a 100 on a test by saying, “Let’s wait until we see your full report card, Bart”?

It feeds into the vague notion that the Browns aren’t fully enamored with the player they perhaps drafted not to be the potential long-term answer but a shorter-term asset. It’s a product of the franchise’s obsession with analytics. They saw “value” in getting Sanders where they did, a chip that could be flipped at some point down the road. And they ignored the practical impact of bringing two rookie quarterbacks to town.

And so, while it’s kooky to say Sanders is being sabotaged, it’s not a stretch to say that something seems off. And when something seems off, that’s when imaginations run wild.

Of all teams, the Browns should be celebrating the possibility that their 42nd starter since the team returned to the NFL in 1999 could delay a 43rd name from joining the back of the never ending jersey. With two first-round picks next year (theirs and Jacksonville’s) wouldn’t it be nice to not have to roll the dice with one of them on an unproven commodity at quarterback?

It’s still way to early to know what Sanders will become. Fo now, why not lean into the possibility that he’s capable of playing the position better than most of the quarterbacks who have spun through the revolving door has done? And if the concern is that the hype train will eventually slam into the station, why did you draft him?

Whatever the reason for the Browns’ apparent attitude toward Sanders, it’s just odd. At a time when they’re still dealing with the ramifications of the single worst transaction of the salary cap era (if not ever), the Browns should allow themselves to view the glass as potentially eventually half full — not inevitably empty.