Browns' Shedeur Sanders is under pressure more than any QB since 2009

Matt Sullivan

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Browns' Shedeur Sanders is under pressure more than any QB since 2009 image

The Cleveland Browns are 3-11, and while there's not much excitement, the prospects of Myles Garrett breaking the sack record and Shedeur Sanders proving himself are more than enough reason to tune in every week.

But, just as Garrett is generating pressure on a generational clip for the defense this season, Sanders is facing generational pressure of his own.

Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN highlighted how Sanders is getting pressured so often this season that, dating back to ESPN's database, which began tracking pressure in 2009, no other quarterback has ever been pressured as pressures as Sanders has this season.

Browns' Sheduer Sanders under more pressure than any QB in last 16 years

"Sanders has been pressured on 46% of his dropbacks this season," Oyefusi shared, "which would be the highest a QB has faced in a single season since ESPN began tracking it in 2009 (43% by Deshaun Watson in 2018 is the highest among qualified QB in that time)."

The Browns' offensive line is significantly banged up, with Ethan Pocic out for the year as the starting center, along with offensive tackle Dawand Jones. Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin, Tevin Jenkins, and Zak Zinter are all out as well, leaving Sanders behind a beat-up offensive line every week.

Sanders hasn't been perfect, as he does tend to hold onto the ball for too long. But that's partially a product of him scrambling around in the backfield away from rushers, and his wide receivers struggling to get open.

More: Browns' Shedeur Sanders struggles in a way an NFL QB hasn't since John Beck in 2007

It's been a rough season for Sanders and the Browns offense as a whole, and this pressure statistic from ESPN highlights just how bad things are right now.

Sanders is getting pressured more than any quarterback in the last 16 years, and his 20-of-48 pressured dropbacks against the Chicago Bears in Week 15 only made the issue worse.

In Sanders' five games, with four starts, he's been sacked 13 times for 112 yards lost. He's also thrown six interceptions and generally struggled.

He's shown promise at times, but when he's under such constant pressure, more than any QB has faced since 2009, it's hard to get a good idea of what he's really capable of.

The Browns need to build a better offensive line and find better receivers for Sanders and the offense. Otherwise, the Browns will have to keep sending Sanders out there, with his odds of being pressured as good as a coin flip.

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Editorial Team