Getting to a consistent point of respectability is still a goal in Cleveland. Maybe that begins with Shedeur Sanders, who benefits from a banged-up QB room to surprisingly get the start in the team’s first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Aug 8, just hours after it was announced he was last on the team’s depth chart. Reports say, Carolina will start Bryce Young and play some starters for a spell.
This might be one of the most watched preseason starts in NFL history.
Cleveland Browns: Three Winning Seasons Last 22 Years
Regardless of how well Sanders does in his first NFL game action, the Browns decided to put themselves into this Shedeur Sanders mess and then become what appeared to be co-conspirators in the talented quarterback’s demise. In a previous article, I mentioned that GM Andrew Berry must have a master plan in dealing with Shedeur Sanders. Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam has already come out and told everyone that Shedeur was not his pick. He didn’t give any valid football reasons why.
Guess he didn’t want anyone to think he crossed the blackball line. Drafting Shedeur in the fifth round made the entire situation around Shedeur look like a comedy show to those who are being honest about the way the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award winner was treated by NFL teams and scouts.
The Cleveland Browns have had more coaches and quarterbacks than anyone can remember and just three winning seasons in the past 22 years. Talk about getting a pass for your futility and ineptitude, poor talent evaluation and a consistent losing culture. The Browns sell out the stadium no matter how bad the franchise is. When they are decent, as the organization has been since Andrew Berry took over in 2020, then it seems everyone involved with the organization — from the owners to the fans — gets delusional.
Shedeur Sanders Last On Cleveland Browns QB Depth Chart?
Cleveland had a chance to get the steal of the draft but after the release of the team’s first unofficial depth chart, Shedeur Sanders is the last man listed in a quarterback room that is one of the worst in the league. He put up better numbers than any other QB in camp, but critics will move the goal post and say he didn’t take first-string reps.
Another slap in the face for a player, who by all accounts, performed no worse than second at camp. Sanders is the No. 4 quarterback on the depth chart. Joe Flacco is the No. 1 quarterback, followed by Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel. The depth chart simply reflects how reps have been distributed during training camp and what units each quarterback has seen time with. They have tried to keep Shedeur with the players unlikely to even make the team, so he’s had to do what he always does and use his talents to elevate inferior talent around him. Same thing he did in stops at unheralded Jackson State and with a nine-win Colorado team who was 1-10 the year prior to his arrival. In camp, Sanders has worked exclusively with backups and saw minimal time against the starting defense.
Fans Cram To Understand What The Fumbling, Bumbling Cleveland Browns Are Doing With Shedeur Sanders
Cleveland fans will ride for their team, and some are foolish enough to have gotten drawn into the “De-Deionization” of Shedeur, so much that they take pleasure in him telling his dad, who is recovering from bladder replacement surgery due to a cancerous tumor, to stay away from camp. Even though his dad is just thinking it could be one of the last times that he sees his son in action.
Shedeur keeps sacrificing and trying to ingratiate himself to an organization that doesn’t represent what he’s about; winning and leading positive change. Fans with sense, can’t understand what Cleveland is doing.
“The three QBs ahead of 12 (Sanders) are horrible. Tanking the seasons,” one fan said. “Feel bad for Cleveland and the vets. They deserve to win.”
Another added, “This is not a serious organization.”
“What is the point of drafting 2 QBS to start OLD [expletive] FLACCO,” a fan added. “Smh.”
“This is why Cleveland is a trash ass organization and never wins anything lol I don’t feel sorry for them at all,” said another fan.
“I definitely want Shedeur to prove them wrong. It started to look like collusion the way the draft went,” another fan chimed in.
Rapper Luke Blasts Kevin Stefanski and Cleveland Browns
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has emphasized that the order in which the quarterbacks take reps in practice shouldn’t be overanalyzed. But rapper Luke continues to believe that Shedeur is getting the short end of the stick from the Browns organization. Him starting the preseason opener isn’t necessarily ideal, but nothing about this situation has been dating back to the draft.
“NFL owners draft Shedeur Sanders in the 5th thinking they’d break him. NOT
The day after his dad reveals he almost died, He goes 9-9.
Brown’s response? Roll out the owner to say he didn’t want him. That’s like telling a kid you’re a mistake. Can’t break him he’s built different.”
What Kind Of Preseason Reps Will Shedeur Sanders Get In Debut?
Now that we know Shedeur is starting, he is kind of getting thrown into the fire. It’s being reported he will be facing a good share of Carolina’s starters on defense, which doesn’t benefit someone who has been practicing against fourth-string players.
For Sanders, it’ll be his first opportunity to build some momentum and make some headway on the depth chart, so no time to be rusty.
“Reps, I think that’s pretty much it — just reps,” Sanders said of what his hopes are for that debut.
Browns Navigating Injuries With Quarterbacks
He will get those because Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel are both nursing hamstring injuries, and the Browns don’t want Joe Flacco, 40, playing in the preseason opener.
Sanders battled arm soreness this week but attributed it to his inconsistent reps and having to deal with his arm getting cold from standing around.
“It’s just adjusting to starting and stopping, honestly,” Sanders explained about the difference between camps in Cleveland and Colorado. “Sometimes you go in hot. Then, you’ll wait for a second and get cold…Then get back hot and get cold again. My arm and body weren’t used to that. It’s just an adjustment.”
Stefanski continues to feed his fans the same old tired lines, but at least Shedeur gets to play for a national audience.
“Injuries are a part of this game. They’re frustrating from the standpoint of when you lose a guy for a good amount of time you feel that’s tough on the players,” Stefanski said. “But the dealing with injuries, adjusting because injuries, that’s just part of the game.”
Things have a tendency to work themselves out and after all the drama about depth chart positioning, Shedeur Sanders’ first “biggest moment of his career” is in a couple of days.
