There’s no telling what the Cleveland Browns might do during the remainder of the offseason into training camp. However, if one thing is for certain, eyes will be on Shedeur Sanders. If they give Sanders an opportunity to start, the Browns will be questioned. If they don’t, others will question them as well.
Ultimately, the Browns have to do what they believe is best for the organization.
If the Browns Won’t Play Sanders, Should They Trade Him?
One could make an argument that if the Cleveland Browns don’t plan to start Sanders, it might not be the worst idea to trade him.
While teams clearly didn’t love him during the draft process, considering he fell to the fifth round, it’s possible the Browns could get something in return for him.
If the plan isn’t to start him, or even give him a chance, why not move on from the youngster and put him in the best position to succeed?
NFL Trade Rumors recently proposed that idea, suggesting that Sanders could be dealt.
“Trading Sanders as a rookie would be unorthodox, but it’s worth noting Cleveland passed on Sanders several times in the draft, including to take another quarterback, before the value finally became too much to ignore. The Browns’ front office is value-obsessed, and Sanders is a potential buy-low/sell-high opportunity. He’s the passer the Browns could likely generate the strongest return off of if he has a solid preseason,” they wrote.
Browns QB Competition Outlook
For now, it seems like the Cleveland Browns will give Sanders an opportunity to play in a backup role. With Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and a healthy Deshaun Watson once he returns, there isn’t much of a place for Sanders to play, unfortunately.
When recently speaking about the situation, Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter had some comments to make. He believes that Pickett should be the starter, and that considering Gabriel was a third-round pick, it’s only fair to wonder if he’ll be the backup.
“If they were saying Shedeur was the starter as a fifth-rounder, you got a real problem, too, because he passed over all these guys in these reps in the offseason in shorts…,” Carter said. “No, so I’m not that surprised,” he said. “And when you put down a third-round pick on a quarterback, you do believe he has a certain skill set. They didn’t ever think Shedeur would be around so that’s why I told you that I didn’t think that he was on their board.
“So, then once you get to the fifth round, they go ahead and take him as a commodity,” Carter said. “But I’m not surprised by T.J., what he’s saying at all. Pickett should be the starter if you look at potential, growth, understanding the division and NFL offenses. He should be the starter. Gabriel’s a third-round pick, why wouldn’t he be the backup?”
Regardless of the Browns’ decisions, there isn’t much reason to believe that Sanders will have a good opportunity to be a starter or even a backup in the QB2 spot.
Perhaps things will change, and injuries happen, but for now, things are far from promising.
