The Cleveland Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL Draft last April, and things have been far from ideal since. Sanders has made headlines—but not for the right reasons. On Tuesday, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.
“The Cleveland Browns' decision to trade Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday was such a shocking move that even the Browns were surprised by it,” CBS Sports’ John Breech wrote.
With Flacco gone, the expectation was that Sanders would finally step into the backup quarterback role in Cleveland. Fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel is currently the starter. However, another twist emerged on Wednesday when head coach Kevin Stefanski declined to name Sanders as the backup.
“Browns HC Kevin Stefanski was noncommittal today on whether rookie Shedeur Sanders -- or practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe -- would be the team's backup quarterback,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter posted.
This was another surprising development, as it appeared Sanders was the clear choice for the No. 2 role. If Sanders remains third on the depth chart, former Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho believes he should consider asking for his release.
“I’m so confused. If Stefanski makes practice squad player Bailey Zappe QB2, Shedeur has to request to be released. He’ll never play in Cleveland,” Acho wrote.
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At this point, it's hard to make sense of what’s going on in Cleveland. Sanders appears to be stuck without a real opportunity. Either he's not being given a fair shot, or he's doing little to convince the Browns he deserves one.
If Sanders does end up requesting a release, it will be interesting to see what happens next in his career. The Browns are expected to make a decision soon, but it would be unusual—and telling—if Sanders is passed over for Zappe on the depth chart.