By the end of Shedeur Sanders’ performance in the Cleveland Browns’ preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Friday, there were glowing reviews on social media from celebrities such as LeBron James and Jamie Foxx, complimentary posts from other NFL players like Xavier Worthy and even a Nike post that included a picture of Sanders along with the caption “Only a matter of time.”
As one Browns source joked, it may be the most talked-about preseason performance in the history of the NFL.
All jokes aside, though, it was a strong performance from Sanders that Cleveland’s staff felt good about and viewed as a confidence-builder and building block for the fifth-round draft pick. Even beyond the game, where Sanders went 14 for 23 for 138 yards with two touchdown passes, the Browns staff saw Sanders take a noticeable step forward with his preparation and locking in behind the scenes last week knowing that he was in line for more reps and to start that game vs. Carolina.
The big question now: How does the performance from Sanders impact Cleveland’s quarterback dynamic moving forward?
Here’s the reality from talking to sources: While there were a lot of positives from that start against Carolina (for example that he was decisive and threw the ball well), there are “still a lot of things there that need to be cleaned up,” including from a pocket presence standpoint and handling pressure. It was also emphasized that it’s important for people to not get ahead of themselves based on a team’s first preseason game. The feedback prior to the game had been that Sanders had been “up and down” through the beginning of the offseason and training camp,
Kenny Pickett and third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel being limited by injuries has created opportunity for Sanders, which he has taken advantage of, but Sanders does appear to still be QB4 for Cleveland at the moment behind expected starter Joe…
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