To say that the quarterback who started seven games for you last season does not “suck” is an odd complement, but given where the Cleveland Browns are these days at the position–where they have been for more than three decades, really–you’ve got to take the positives where you can find them. And if there is one thing that stands out from the in-depth and sourced article by Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein this week, it is that the Browns do not think that Shedeur Sanders “sucks.”
Sure, the team is going with Deshaun Watson as the starting quarterback in Week 1, despite a competition between him and Sanders that ran a lot tighter than the Browns seemed to expect. And, sure, the closing statements by the two appeared to make Sanders a ne-brainer for the QB1 job: Sanders played well in the game vs. Buffalo on Saturday and handled himself with class afterwards, while Watson … well, you know how that went.
Browns Could Still Play Shedeur Sanders in Week 3
More important, though, is that Epstein hinted that the Browns will not have a long leash with Watson. Cleveland opens with two games on the road, meaning Watson won’t face the full-throated disdain of his home crowd. If Watson plays well, maybe the Browns go back 1-1, and maybe he earns more leeway.
But, Epstein writes it is “plausible” that the Browns give Watson the two roadies, and if he flops, they can move to Sanders in Week 3 with enough time in the season to perhaps still make a run.
‘Doesn’t Mean Shedeur Sanders Sucks’
The Browns’ door is open for Sanders, again, because the Browns do not hold a low opinion of him. He was rated by Pro Football Focus as the No. 38 quarterback in the NFL out of 38 last year, but Sanders has improved and the team did go 3-4 despite his struggles with game management and decision-making.
Epstein quoted a source with knowledge of the Browns’ decision-making as saying, “Shedeur has improved a ton. You can argue where he’s coming from, fine, but he’s improved a lot. And he still could not be the better one. Or could not be the one that’s right. I don’t know why both can’t be true.
“Because the other guy is more ready or is the right choice, in our minds, doesn’t mean Shedeur sucks. Both things can be true. It could just be, ‘Hey, this is the right decision for us right now.'”
Browns Move Seen as Insult to Fans
It is still an odd decision by the Browns, by any measure. In the wake of picking Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders, many observers and pundits around the league weighed in on the choice being an insult to the team’s fans, who clearly do not like Watson or want him running the team. Watson apologized this week for the disaster press conference he held after Saturday’s game, in which he picked a battle with Browns fans.
But the apology never hits as hard as the original sentiment, and that’s the case for Watson. At least, coach Todd Monken said there is still a future for Sanders, because he … does not suck.
Monken said: “I’m excited about the long game for him. There are certain things he has to continue to work on, and he’s going to continue to grow leaps and bounds because he’s a sponge; takes it all in, he really does. So, I just think it’s a matter of time before we get a chance to see that.”
Browns’ True Feelings on Shedeur Sanders Revealed by Insider