The optimism surrounding Shedeur Sanders has been a constant theme throughout this offseason, fueled by the flashes of talent he showed during his rookie season. But former NFL scout Daniel Kelly is not buying the hype, and he cited a statistic to back up his claim.
Kelly did not hold back when describing just how poorly Sanders actually performed by one key advanced metric during his rookie season.
“I don’t think people understand how historically bad Shedeur Sanders was last season for the Browns. He produced the 2nd lowest QBR the NFL has seen in the past 20 years,” Kelly posted.
I don’t think people understand how historically bad Shedeur Sanders was last season for the Browns.
He produced the 2nd lowest QBR the NFL has seen in the past 20 years. pic.twitter.com/PIAXx0ZbGW https://t.co/rkuH8hx60X
— FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) June 20, 2026
None of this means Sanders is destined to repeat that performance in year 2. The supporting cast around him looks dramatically different heading into 2026. The offensive line has been overhauled with Spencer Fano anchoring the left tackle spot and Dawand Jones reportedly playing well this spring. The receiver room added legitimate difference makers in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, while Isaiah Bond and Harold Fannin continue to develop into trusted weapons. If poor surrounding talent and protection contributed significantly to Sanders’ rookie struggles, as QBR’s situational weighting would suggest, a better roster around him gives him a real chance to look like an entirely different quarterback this season.
That improvement angle is exactly why this competition remains so fascinating heading into training camp. Sanders has shown both ends of the spectrum: genuine rookie flashes that earned him a Pro Bowl nod, and advanced metrics suggesting historically poor underlying efficiency. Which version of Sanders shows up in 2026, and whether the improved talent around him is enough to bridge that gap, will go a long way toward determining who ultimately wins the starting job in Cleveland.
Browns fans have plenty of reasons to believe that Sanders has everything in place to take a big step forward in 2026.
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