Shedeur Sanders can grab headlines by saying just about anything — or nothing at all.
The Cleveland Browns announced Wednesday that they’re benching veteran quarterback Joe Flacco and rolling with rookie Dillon Gabriel, the team’s third-round draft pick, in their Week 5 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Sanders stayed put at third on the depth chart amid the roster shakeup, with Flacco dropping to Gabriel’s backup.
When asked about the switch and his seemingly unchanging role on the team, Sanders silently mimed his answers with a smile and a chuckle.
The Colorado product caught flak last week for telling ESPN Cleveland that he was “ready to play now” and “capable of doing better” than several current NFL starters — so this time, he opted out of providing another soundbite.
Those comments were brought to the attention of Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who issued a diplomatic response ahead of Cleveland’s Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
“Yeah, he’s doing a good job. I hope all of our guys feel like they’re ready . . . and they’re working very hard at it,” he told reporters. “We do a lot of work with our players, rookies, vets, all our guys, spending every available minute that we have with them, getting them ready physically, mentally, whether it’s in the weight room, the meeting room, out on the field. So all of our guys are working very hard.”
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Sanders, who shockingly plummeted to the 144th pick on draft night, might not have provided a serious answer on Wednesday, but his recent comments to ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi emphasize how much he values the opportunity to be in Cleveland and run the scout team as the QB3.
“It’s fun going out there and competing every day,” Sanders told Oyefusi. “I’m thankful for my situation. I’m thankful I’m able to see ball in a different light and to be able to get a different perspective than I have and I’m able to grow mentally, physically, emotionally, everything, to become my best self.
“So that’s [what] I’m so excited about, is that whenever I’m able to showcase it, you know what, even if it’s this year or not this year, I know at the end of the day I’m getting closer to where I want to be.”
As part of the NFL’s international growth initiative, the Browns (1-3) will take on the Vikings (2-2) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.
