The Cleveland Browns were impressed with what they saw from rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders in his first NFL start. So impressed, in fact, that open to giving Sanders an extended look for the rest of the current campaign, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Sanders will have to continue to play well and show promise in order to remain in the starting spot, but it’s still a big development.
“The Browns are open to giving Sanders an extended look for the rest of this season, just as fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel got in the first half of this season, sources told ESPN,” Schefter wrote. “But much of that decision will be dictated by how Sanders plays, starting Sunday.”
Browns open to letting Sanders start for rest of the season
In his first career start against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12, Sanders threw for 209 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also helped lead the Browns to just their third win of the season. It was obviously enough to impress the coaching staff in Cleveland and earn Sanders another starting opportunity. Sanders will start his second career game when the Brown host the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13.
Sanders' ascension up Cleveland's QB depth chart this season has been impressive. He began the season as a distant fourth behind the likes of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel and he's worked himself all the way up to QB1. Despite this rapid rise, Sanders is far from satisfied.
"I'm definitely not comfortable, though, so that's first and foremost that I have another opportunity to go out there," Sanders said this week. "But in life, you got to understand how quickly things come or how long it comes, it could be taken at any point in time.
"So I'm never comfortable in a situation I'm in. I always want to exceed expectations, and I always want to grow in each and every week, I would want to put a better product of myself, be a better version of myself for the team to be out there."
The Browns have six games remaining on their schedule for the season. Those games come against the 49ers, Titans, Bears, Bills, Steelers and Bengals. If all goes well, Sanders could potentially start in all of them and provide the Browns with an extended look to see if he could possibly be their quarterback of the future.