The Cleveland Browns selected Shedeur Sanders with high hopes, but his preseason performances have generated mixed reviews from many around the league.
While the rookie quarterback showed flashes of potential in limited action, concerns about his readiness have surfaced from unexpected sources.
An NFL coach who watched Sanders during the preseason shared pointed observations with The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd about the young quarterback’s processing speed.
“One NFL coach I spoke to, who watched Sanders this preseason, thought he was consistently late reading what he saw and didn’t always deliver the ball where it was supposed to go, even though his numbers impressed against the Carolina Panthers,” Lloyd wrote.
“The guy plays on tape delay,” the coach said.
Sanders posted solid numbers in his debut against Carolina, completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
He guided Cleveland on multiple scoring drives and earned praise from various observers following that outing.
His second preseason appearance painted a different picture entirely.
Against the Rams, Sanders struggled under constant pressure and took five sacks.
He fumbled once and displayed a troubling tendency to hold onto the ball too long instead of making quick decisions.
The performance highlighted concerns about his pocket awareness and hesitation when delivering passes under duress.
These issues became more apparent as opposing defenses applied pressure consistently throughout the game.
Sanders now enters the regular season with questions surrounding his development timeline.
The Browns coaching staff will monitor his progress closely as he works to translate his physical tools into consistent production.
His early struggles may have cost him ground in the quarterback competition, but plenty of opportunities remain for the rookie to prove his worth moving forward.
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