Shedeur Sanders silenced a lot of his doubters in his NFL debut last week when he threw for 209 yards and a touchdown in a win against the Las Vegas Raiders. He ended a streak of 17 straight losses by Browns rookie quarterbacks making their first starts and earned himself another start this week against the San Francisco 49ers.
Initially, head coach Kevin Stefanski said that fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel would remain the starting quarterback once he returns from his concussion, but Sanders gave the team a much-needed shot in the arm and was able to change Stefanski’s mind.
With a big matchup looming next for Sanders and this offense, ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently shared what he is hearing about the whole situation.
Schefter recently wrote an article touching on the ongoing quarterback situation in Cleveland and where Sanders fits into it.
He pointed out that the Niners game certainly might not be the last start for the rookie.
“Sanders now has the opportunity not only to start again Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers but also to play well enough to continue earning starts for the rest of this season. The Browns are open to giving Sanders an extended look for the rest of this season, just as fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel got in the first half of this season, sources told ESPN. But much of that decision will be dictated by how Sanders plays, starting Sunday,” Schefter said.
Sanders Looks To Prove He’s The Future In Crucial Week 13 Test
Sanders completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in his debut. The most notable development was his ability to hit a couple of huge passes deep down the field, which Dillon Gabriel showed no ability to do during his six starts.
Gabriel did a great job of taking care of the ball during his time as the starter, but he wasn’t able to generate any explosiveness, and the offense was mostly lifeless during his tenure as the starter.
It’s now Sanders’ turn to audition for the long-term QB role, which is something the front office needs to figure out ahead of next year’s draft.
These are exciting times in Cleveland despite the Browns being 3-8.
Sunday will be a huge test for Sanders, and if he meets the challenge, he could be the starter through the rest of the season.
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