Shedeur Sanders is preparing to enter his first NFL training camp this month, and it has already been a rollercoaster ride for the rookie. Sanders will be an interesting player to watch, especially as the Browns figure out how to handle him.
Sanders was placed on the Toronto Argonauts’ negotiation list, sparking speculation that he might go to the CFL. However, Sports Illustrated’s Matthew Schmidt quickly dismissed that possibility.
“While there is no guarantee that Sanders will be a smashing success for the Browns right off the bat, it also seems incredibly hard to imagine the signal-caller heading to play football in Canada. Barring a drastic turn of events, it just isn't happening. Right now, Sanders is battling with three other quarterbacks for the starting job in Cleveland, and he seems rather unlikely to be under center heading into Week 1. We all understand that. But it doesn't mean that Sanders will suddenly be banished from the NFL,” Schmidt wrote.
At the moment, Sanders appears to be fourth on the depth chart and not really in the mix for the starting job. However, rookie Dillion Gabriel is in contention.
Cleveland native and former NFL wide receiver Cecil Shorts believes the two rookies should compete for the starting role, while praising Sanders.
“Let them battle it out, choose one and ride with them and see what they can do," Shorts said about the rookies. "And I'm not big on switching quarterbacks... I hate that. Let the rookie battle all 17 games; if he's healthy, battle all 17 games. Let him develop. Let him get better.”
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“To me, talent-wise like you mentioned, Shedeur is way better than Dillon," Shorts continued. "Dillon wasn't on anybody's list. Let's call a spade a spade. Nobody was thinking about Dillon Gabriel being drafted in the first three rounds. Nobody. Wasn't on anybody's list. Nobody was talking about him on TV at all. Come on, let's be real here.”
Sanders seemed like the better quarterback coming out of college and on draft boards, but Gabriel appears to be impressing so far. If it were up to Shorts, it certainly feels like Sanders would be the starter.