Shedeur Sanders has had a ton of attention on him since the NFL draft earlier this year. The overarching theory was that he would be selected in the first round. However, Shedeur fell in the picking order and was eventually selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. Controversy over right? Well, no, not exactly. In his first game for the Browns, Shedeur played well; he even threw two touchdown passes. However, a decision by the Browns’ head coach in the last preseason game has led to a former NFL star questioning the way that the Browns are utilizing Sanders. And he may have a point.
Sanders’ NFL journey has been as dramatic as his fashion sense
Shedeur Sanders is known off the field for his, let’s say, interesting fashion sense. Reports emerged during the NFL Draft that he wore a huge gold chain to meetings with prospective teams. Not the normal, subdued approach that most players take when meeting with a potential employer. Some have speculated that his lackluster demeanor is what led to his downfall from the top of the NFL Draft. Whether that is true, we will never know.Â
What we do know is that he impressed in his first outing for the Browns, throwing two touchdown passes as well as gaining some yards with the ball in hand. In the Browns’ final preseason game, Sanders was due to join the offense for the final 2 minutes of the game as the Browns tried with all their might to gain some yardage and score to win the game. Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski opted to go for Dillon Gabriel instead. That decision has now come under scrutiny from several NFL insiders.
A former Browns quarterback has criticized Kevin Stefanski
The trajectory for most former NFL players is to either become a coach in some capacity or go down the analyst path. Regardless, when a former NFL player speaks his mind, the NFL usually listens. Following the decision by Kevin Stefanski to let Dillon Gabriel lead the team for the final 2 minutes, a former NFL star and Browns quarterback has voiced his displeasure. And he did not hold back. Robert Griffin III spent eight seasons in the NFL and has an opinion on the happenings in Cleveland.
He has stated that he believes that Sanders has been set up to fail in Cleveland and that the Browns should trade him along with Dillon Gabriel. The recent news of Kenny Pickett being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders has set a target on the pair of rookie quarterbacks. Yes, the Browns need some backup for Joe Flacco, but who that is remains a mystery. The NFL is on an upward trajectory towards new territory.
“I think the Cleveland Browns need to trade Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel. Right now, they have a toxic environment around their quarterback situation, and it’s not a growth environment for either guy. It wasn’t just the wrong decision; it was a catastrophically terrible decision on behalf of Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns organization. So, for the Browns to not allow this young man to actually compete is a detriment to him, but it’s also a detriment to all the quarterbacks on their roster.” – Robert Griffin III
Will Shedeur find his feet in Cleveland, or will he be traded
Shedeur comes from NFL royalty. His father, Deoin Sanders, is a hall-of-fame inductee and became even more famous once his playing career came to an end. Deion had a hand in Shedeur’s college career as the head coach of Colorado, where his son attended. Will there still be time for Shedeur to be traded before the start of the new NFL season? Does the team have a plan for the young star? Would both the Browns and Sanders be better off parting ways? His appeal stretched beyond the football field, so we’ll have to wait and see.
