Shedeur Sanders is still waiting to take his first regular-season snap with the Cleveland Browns. The fifth-round pick was recently promoted to the QB2 position ahead of the Steelers game, but even that ended in disappointment.
Now, the conversation around Sanders has started to shift as fans are wondering whether he’ll be able to develop as a quarterback under Kevin Stefanski. If you ask NFL legend Shannon Sharpe, it’s unlikely to happen in Cleveland.
On a recent episode of Nightcap, Sharpe criticized Stefanski for the decisions he has made related to Sanders so far. He believes that if the head coach is unsure of his talent or doesn’t want to invest in him right now, he should let Sanders go.
“You’re not trying to develop him,” Sharpe said. “You release him, he goes somewhere else, they put the time in, they develop him, they give him an opportunity. Why do you care?” (from 2:32)
Sharpe referred to Baker Mayfield as an example. Mayfield was drafted by the Browns in 2018. The organization kept him around until 2021, and his development was questionable. Then Mayfield left, bounced around a couple of teams in 2022 before eventually landing in Tampa.
Today, he is one of the key pieces for the Buccaneers and is doing very well. Sharpe believes that the Browns are afraid they might have another example in Sanders as a player who thrived once he left Cleveland.
Regardless of his assessment being right or wrong, the fact is that Sanders is wasting valuable time in Cleveland. Despite the fact that he was a fifth-round pick and the chatter around his maturity, he is a good QB, and he has proved it during his time in Colorado.
Kevin Stefanski Explained Why He Promoted Shedeur Sanders
The QB2 news came as a relief for Sanders and his supporters. After weeks of being overlooked, it finally seemed like he was going to get some time on the field. After Friday’s practice, Stefanski promoted him to backup quarterback.
“I’m always thinking about our players and what’s best for our players,” Stefanski said, explaining the rationale for choosing Sanders. “And I want to make sure when it comes to young football players, particularly at the quarterback position, that you are intentional about your decision-making and that’s really all it is. So excited for all of our guys.”
It’s worth noting that the promotion only happened after veteran Joe Flacco was traded to Cincinnati. Despite that, it was a welcome change that was appreciated by fans.
However, the game ended in disappointment, not just for Sanders individually but for the Browns as a unit. They suffered a blowout 9-23 loss, marking their fifth loss of the season.
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