PHILADELPHIA — An enormous crowd of reporters rushed to the second follow subject on the NovaCare Complicated to see Shedeur Sanders go up towards the No. 1 protection within the NFL from final 12 months. Seven-on-7 reps had been about to start, with constructing anticipation of Sanders taking snaps towards the perfect of the perfect.
The primary rep befell, and Joe Flacco was with the primary workforce. No Sanders, no drawback. The gang of reporters figured the 40-year outdated veteran would get the primary look. Then got here Dillon Gabriel with the second workforce.
The hyped-Browns rookie was nowhere to be seen with any of the quarterbacks. Flacco and Pickett had been with the 1s, Gabriel with the 2s and Tyler Huntley with the 3s. The place was Sanders?
Sanders was seen warming up previous to follow, throwing balls towards the goalpost on the third follow subject. Engaged on his footwork, timing and accuracy, the rookie quarterback was making ready for a giant day. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated simply quarter-hour previous to this warmup session Sanders would begin Saturday’s preseason game towards the Eagles — if Gabriel was unable to as a result of harm — so loads of reps ought to have been coming Sanders’ manner throughout the scorching sizzling and very humid joint follow.
The purple flags had been up. One thing occurred between that particular person interval and the 7-on-7 session. Sanders wasn’t seen anyplace on the crowded NovaCare Complicated follow fields to the bare eye. He actually wasn’t partaking in any workforce drills.
Then got here the information in the direction of the top of the follow. The Browns introduced Sanders suffered an indirect harm throughout particular person drills and was held out of shape as a precautionary measure.
There went the Sanders hype, alongside together with his probabilities to additional increase his inventory within the ever-evolving quarterback competitors in Cleveland. Pickett and Gabriel returned after battling hamstring accidents final week, which gave Sanders the chance to begin the preseason opener final week.
Sanders lit it up towards the Panthers, going 14 of 23 for 138 yards with two touchdowns and 0 interceptions. He made NFL-caliber throws and showcased that maybe his draft fall was over-reactionary. Enjoying towards the Eagles protection could be a real check for Sanders, a golden alternative to point out his preseason flash wasn’t a fluke.
As a substitute, the hype by no means materialized. The balloon was deflated.
Shedeur Sanders turned heads in Browns debut, however possible QB pecking order stays unchanged in Cleveland
Matt Zenitz
The response
Sanders wasn’t seen all through the follow as he sat out, however the rookie quarterback wished to speak with one participant after follow. That was Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, as the 2 congregated on the primary follow subject and had a protracted dialog.
Hurts even gave Sanders a raise again to the locker room on a gold cart after the chat.
“There is a sense of obligation to be your self, and that is who I’m to be sincere and real and expressing how I am going to the place I’m at present,” Hurts mentioned on being a task mannequin for younger quarterbacks. “It wasn’t a straightforward journey. It is at all times gonna current some challenges, however proceed to be who I’m, proceed to hold myself in a humble manner, and at all times placing the work first.
“I am conscious of that. I do know that is nonetheless a torch that I maintain. It is one thing I respect and embrace and settle for it for what it’s. On the similar time, I at all times put my give attention to how I might be the perfect I might be and hopefully my actions can converse louder than something.”
In the meantime, Sanders informed Flacco concerning the harm that occurred throughout follow, however there’s nothing Flacco may say to maintain his spirits up.
“It is kinda robust,” Flacco mentioned. “All of us need to be on the market and getting reps. That is what coaching camp and soccer is all about, typically these items occur. Generally you take care of them. It’s what it’s.”
Flacco was then requested about Gabriel progressing by way of his hamstring harm. The honesty got here out, together with a message to each Gabriel and Sanders.
“We’re in that room collectively and we’re doing issues collectively. Once we come out on this subject, I am not tremendous nervous about what Dillon is doing to get again from his hamstring.
“I am centered on us getting higher and us doing the perfect we will towards Philly — and that features him. … So far as him coming again and preparing? Look, I do know he is itching to get again on the market. If you’re younger and also you’re in a quarterback room that is in a contest and you do not get to be on the market daily, that is robust.
“My message to him is do not press. Simply go on the market and be your self. … Simply go play your recreation. If there was a message for him, that will be it.”
The veteran quarterback had some phrases of knowledge for his youthful counterparts. Gabriel appeared to press in his return, so let’s have a look at if Sanders heeds Flacco’s recommendation every time he returns to the sphere.
What does it imply?
The Browns quarterback competitors simply obtained a complete lot stranger. Flacco remains to be the chief within the clubhouse to be the starter come Week 1, however that is the newest in a protracted line of accidents on this place group.
Pickett remains to be nursing a hamstring harm and Gabriel simply obtained again from his after each signal-callers missed follow final week. The Browns signed Huntley for quarterback depth with all of the accidents within the room, however Huntley is not competing for the beginning quarterback job.
Flacco led the first-team offense with 13 move makes an attempt whereas Pickett threw six. Gabriel had 19 makes an attempt, however the majority had been with the second workforce. If Gabriel is sweet to go for Saturday, he’ll begin the preseason game — however joint practices are a greater indicator of the place issues stand within the quarterback battle.
Proper now, it is Flacco after which Pickett. As for Sanders, we’ll have to attend and see.
