The Cleveland Browns have been consistently inconsistent when it comes to the quarterback position. And, even though they now have four active quarterbacks on the roster, that still appears to be the case. The situation has possibly worsened because of how they have been handling Shedeur Sanders.
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The Browns listed Sanders as the QB4 on the depth chart. The former Colorado Buffaloes star has also been sidelined from training camp with shoulder and arm soreness. But the Browns still announced him as their starting quarterback for their preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers on August 8.
Sanders has been deprived of first-team reps throughout the offseason as Cleveland prioritized all other quarterbacks on the roster. According to Emory Hunt, the founder and owner of Football Gameplan, Sanders will simply have to make do with what he has right now.
“It’s not fair. But this is football. At the end of the day, you get what you asked for, so get it because you asked for it,” said Hunt.
“You never know when those opportunities are going to come as a football player. And if you’re Shedeur Sanders and you’ve been trying to impress enough to where you can ‘earn’ those first-team reps or second-team reps, well, here’s a grand opportunity, on a national stage, to show, not only why you’ve earned those reps, but [also] to be really in contention for QB1,” Hunt added.
Much like the majority of football fans across the nation, Hunt believes the second-generation athlete is undoubtedly “the most talented one in the room.” However, Sanders is now being treated as a 144th overall pick rather than the potential franchise hero that he was initially heralded to be.
Hunt suggested that none of that matters now. All that remains is the task at hand, and that is what he is imploring Sanders to focus on. “It may not have been how you wanted it to arrive, but hey, you’re here. Now, take full advantage of that opportunity,” he said.
Seeing as Carolina has voiced their intentions to field their starters for at least the first few games of the series, it stands to reason that Friday’s result will likely have a lasting impact on Sanders’ position in the quarterback race. Both fans and coaching staff alike will finally have the opportunity to see what the 23-year-old will look like while standing inside of an NFL pocket and throwing against first-team defenders.
And for better or worse, it will likely be the spark that ignites the narrative that will follow him for the duration of his rookie season.
Even though he has yet to actually play in the NFL, Sanders has already managed to become one of the most polarizing figures in the league today without even trying. Now that he’s finally being given an opportunity, all there’s left to do is sit back and wait for the results.
Suffice it to say, it may not be on schedule, but his time is set to come all the same.
