Everyone has their tinfoil hat on regarding Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
The polarizing fifth-round rookie quarterback was surprisingly pulled before a potential two-minute drill opportunity with the Browns trailing the Rams, 17-16, during the third and final preseason game of the year.
Rather than see what Sanders could do during the live game action, they chose to pull him in favor of veteran Tyler Huntley with 2:03 remaining in the game.
Huntley, who led the Browns down the field for a game-winning field goal to seal the 19-17 win, was cut shortly after.
Sanders is expected to make the roster with the Browns at least saying publicly they plan to keep four quarterbacks on the roster.
Public outcry over this decision has been fierce from pundits and also former NFL players who were puzzled by coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision.
“I need to understand why we don’t get to see @ShedeurSanders run this 2 minute drill? Wouldn’t you want to see your young QB operate in this situation?” former NFL quarterback turned television analyst Derek Carr said in a social media post. “Get him more reps for the future? I didn’t see the whole game so maybe he already showed enough? Help me understand this…”
NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, who is no stranger to quarterback competition during preseasons, had similar frustrations with the benching of Sanders.
“I was really looking forward to the competition between Dillon Gabriel & Shedeur Sanders in last preseason game,” Warner said on X. “I know it plays out like this sometimes, but a bummer that both didn’t have the same opps to make plays! DG played well again but had good opps to make plays, SS didn’t those same opps so it was hard to make much of an assessment!”
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot asked Stefanski about “the persistent narrative that he’s sabotaging” Sanders.
“I’m committed to his development just like all of our rookies,” Stefanski said. “We’ll continue to focus on getting our guys better. That’s what we will stay committed to, and that’s what’s important to me.”
Stefanski is navigating a unique quarterback competition that includes Sanders and Gabriel — a fellow rookie who was taken two rounds before Sanders, who shockingly slipped to the fifth.
The Browns named Joe Flacco their starting quarterback last week and Kenny Pickett, who has missed most of the preseason with a hamstring injury, is expected to be the backup.
Former ESPN reporter Josina Anderson also detailed several complaints with Stefanski’s handling of Sanders during this preseason, where the former Colorado star has mostly played with the third and fourth string on the roster.
Sanders did struggle mightily when one the field against Los Angeles, completing just 3-of-6 passes for 14 yards on 11 dropbacks while taking five sacks.
Sanders’ net total for the game was negative-27 yards in the five drives that he was given to navigate during the game.
Sanders played well in the Browns’ first preseason game and then missed the second with an oblique injury.
After the game, Sanders gave a shoutout to his very vocal supporters.
“Thanks everyone for the [love] and support,” Sanders wrote on Instagram. “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.”
