Shedeur Sanders’ smile made it into a New Orleans Saints team meeting before his first start of the season for the Cleveland Browns.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday that the clip of Sanders discussing New Orleans’ defense circulated inside the Saints’ facility ahead of the Week 9 matchup.
“Head coach Kellen Moore referenced it in a meeting, per sources, while players openly discussed it to reporters,” Fowler reported.
The report adds another layer to an exchange that already prompted a response from Saints defensive end Carl Granderson. Cleveland enters at 5-3, looking to rebound from a 27-6 loss to Pittsburgh, while New Orleans is 2-5 coming out of its bye.
Sanders drew attention when he was asked whether he had studied the Saints’ defense and what he had seen.
“Yeah, I’ve seen a lot. When I smile, just know that means something. I’m maturing, you know what I’m saying? I’m maturing. Like, I could have gave that a decent answer, but now I’m just going to smile.”
Sanders did not identify a specific weakness in New Orleans’ defense or predict a Cleveland victory. Fowler also left room for interpretation, noting that the Saints appeared to have some fun with the exchange regardless of Sanders’ intent.
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Granderson had already made clear that Sanders’ remarks reached the Saints’ locker room.
“They’ve been chirping a little bit. We see what the quarterback done said,” Granderson said. “It’s going to be a good game for sure.”
Granderson presents a challenge beyond the pregame conversation. He enters with 5.5 sacks, while fellow edge rusher Chase Young has seven. They will face a Cleveland offense that allowed eight sacks of Deshaun Watson against Pittsburgh. Watson has been sacked a league-high 33 times this season. Cleveland ranks 29th in scoring at 17.4 points per game.
New Orleans has vulnerabilities of its own, allowing 27.7 points and 139.4 rushing yards per game. Establishing Quinshon Judkins and the running game could help Cleveland avoid obvious passing situations against Young and Granderson.
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Sanders will get his opportunity with Deshaun Watson officially inactive. Watson cleared concussion protocol Saturday, but coach Todd Monken had already committed to Sanders after Watson missed team practice reps throughout the week.
Dillon Gabriel will back up Sanders, with Taylen Green designated as the emergency third quarterback.
Sanders has completed all three of his passes this season for 2 yards. His previous extended opportunity came as a rookie, when he started seven games and went 3-4, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions across eight appearances.
He will have Harold Fannin Jr. available after a groin injury concern. The tight end is coming off a career-best 154 receiving yards against Pittsburgh.
Monken has praised Sanders’ development and his work with the starters during the week.
“I’m fired up to see him play, who wouldn’t be?” Monken said.
The Browns are a 3.5-point underdog against the Saints with Sanders under center.
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