Shedeur Sanders began his rookie year as the fourth quarterback on the Cleveland Browns’ depth chart, yet he was able to fight his way to earn seven starts down the stretch, which saw him deliver a mixed bag of results. He is now in a tight battle with Deshaun Watson for QB1 duties in 2026, though it’s looking more likely with each passing day that Watson will win the job.
That doesn’t mean Sanders will stop working or improving. He has said and done all the right things since joining the organization and recently shared what he has learned from his tenure as the starter at the end of last season.
Jarrett Bell of USA Today covered Sanders in a recent article and touched on the mental aspect of Sanders’ game. The young quarterback spoke about his intelligence and how he gained a better understanding of all the variables that come with being a starter in the NFL so that next time he gets a chance to start, he will be more in control.
“What did I gain from seven starts? My own point of view,” Sanders said. “I don’t think I’m a dumb human being. I think I’m very bright. So it was kind of like figuring the lay of the land, having a better understanding of everything. When you first get me out there, you may get me. But when I have all these different variables of things that I can control, then I’ll be able to put myself and the team in the best situation.”
Sanders’ confidence has been mistaken for arrogance by many of his doubters, and it’s easy to see why at times. That being said, he has the right mentality as a fifth-round pick coming into a less-than-ideal situation.
As a starter last year, he showed the same flaws many scouts pointed out during the pre-draft process. His decision-making, accuracy, and tendency to drift in the pocket and hold onto the ball too long were all noticeable flaws, and fans saw some of those flaws once again in the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears.
Saturday against the Buffalo Bills will likely be his final chance to convince the coaching staff that he should be the starter in Week 1. He still has things to clean up and reports out of practice aren’t great, but we’ll see if that confidence translates to the field on Saturday and helps him put some pressure on Watson and Todd Monken. They may never have planned to start him in the first place, but he is still in need of a strong showing after a rough debut last week.
NEXT: Key Browns Defender Suffers Concerning Injury In Practice
