In a perfect world for Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns, the second-year player will become their starting quarterback and play well enough to hold the job for years to come. He would justify the overwhelming support from his loyal legion of fans and allow him to silence his vocal critics once and for all. It would also make the Browns look like geniuses for finding a franchise quarterback in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
In another outcome, Sanders would fail miserably in his final chance to defeat Deshaun Watson in their ongoing QB competition, fulfilling what many people feel is his ultimate destiny. Then, without enough talent worthy of further development, he would be out of the league almost as quickly as he arrived.
It is much more likely that Sanders’ trajectory will fall somewhere in the middle. He may not be good enough to be an NFL starter, but he does have enough talent to contribute as a backup.
With that in mind, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic is comparing Sanders to two notable NFL QBs, longtime veterans Andy Dalton and Teddy Bridgewater.
“When I see Shedeur Sanders the hopeful media tycoon, I see the son of an icon. When I see Shedeur Sanders the quarterback, I see Andy Dalton or Teddy Bridgewater. He’s not necessarily a year-to-year starter in today’s NFL, but he does look like a very capable thrower who, if his grasp of NFL offenses and defensive speed continues to improve, can be a reliable backup for a long time. He projects as the type of backup who can hold the fort for a few weeks if a starter gets hurt,” Baumgardner wrote.
Sanders, of course, wants to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, not only for the on-field challenge but for the off-field marketing opportunities as well. But as a late-round pick, he would be well-served to have a career similar to either Dalton’s or Bridgewater’s, if simply playing football is truly his motivation.
Dalton was a second-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he is about to enter his 16th season, his first with the Philadelphia Eagles. After nine years as the Cincinnati Bengals’ starter, he has also played for the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and, for the past three seasons, for the Carolina Panthers. He has started 169 of his 179 NFL games.
Bridgewater was a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and he is entering his 12th season, returning to the Detroit Lions as their backup QB. Despite a serious leg injury that altered the course of his career, Bridgewater has started 65 of his 83 games with seven teams.
It may be impossible to comprehend right now, but if Sanders were to have a decade-long career and play almost 100 games, whether for the Browns or someone else, that would be a tremendous accomplishment.
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