The Cleveland Browns’ drama around their quarterback position has been one of the biggest stories in the NFL this year, and it’s been packed with more twists and turns than most movies. This weekend, a new chapter will begin when Shedeur Sanders gets his first chance to start as QB in a Week 12 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Browns have not handled much of this situation well, and Leroy Hoard knows their biggest mistake. The former Browns player appeared on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show to say that both Sanders and Dillon Gabriel require veteran support, and they aren’t getting it, especially now that QB Joe Flacco was traded.
“I think the worst thing that could’ve happened, and I know why they did it, was to get rid of Joe Flacco so those two young guys can see how to be a pro. They don’t have somebody in that quarterback room to help them break stuff down. They’re learning on the fly,” Hoard said.
Sanders and Gabriel Need More Help Than They’re Getting
Being a rookie in the league is hard enough as it is. And being vaulted to starting quarterback is even tougher, but the difficulty is multiplied more by the fact that Sanders and Gabriel are attempting to figure this out on their own.
If Flacco were still in Cleveland, even on the sidelines, he could be guiding these two and helping them find their footing. Instead, they are left to fend for themselves, while the noise from the media and angry fans only grows louder.
This is yet another instance where it feels like the coaching staff has let these two players down. Some have argued that head coach Kevin Stefanski hasn’t designed plays that work to the strengths of these two young rookies, while many have critiqued his resistance to using Sanders until last week, when Gabriel got hurt during the loss against the Baltimore Ravens.
Sanders and Gabriel need help, Hoard believes, either from a veteran player or the coaches leading this team. Learning on the fly isn’t going to cut it.
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