Shedeur Sanders ‘Excited’ About Browns’ QB Decision
The Cleveland Browns have yet to name Shedeur Sanders their backup quarterback, but the rookie signal-caller is optimistic about the way things are heading in Northeast Ohio.
Sanders spoke with media members on Thursday, October 9, saying he was “excited” about the way things have progressed in the team’s quarterback room.
“I’m in a great mental space overall. So I would say you tend to get a little bit more excited when you see a light at the end of the tunnel, for sure,” Sanders said, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. “Whatever my role is here, I’m thankful. I’m happy just to do that.”
Timeline of Browns’ QB Decisions Indicates Shedeur Sanders’ Shot Could Come Sooner Than Later
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders started his NFL career in disappointing fashion, plummeting from a first-round prospect to a fifth-round draft pick.
He entered the Browns’ offseason as QB4. Eventually, Kenny Pickett sustained an injury and Cleveland chose to trade him to the Las Vegas Raiders for a fifth-round pick. Sanders then became QB3.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski demoted Joe Flacco from the role of starter after a 1-3 opening to the season, elevating rookie Dillon Gabriel. And even though Flacco moved into the backup position and Sanders remained third-string, that decision felt like a significant step in Sanders’ eventual ascension to a starting role.
Then, on Tuesday, the Browns made an out-of-the-blue trade by dealing Flacco and a sixth-round pick to the division rival Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for another fifth-rounder. Stefanski now faces pressure to move Sanders up the depth chart into the QB2 role, as the other option is fourth-year veteran Bailey Zappe, who has been a member of the practice squad all season.
“You have to think long and hard about that,” Stefanski said Wednesday of who will be QB2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend. “So, I’ll let the week play out and make a decision later on.”
Stephen A. Smith Predicts Shedeur Sanders Will Start for Browns by Week 13 or 14
GettyQuarterback Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns.
Even if Zappe gets the nod as the backup in Week 6, and potentially for a month or two moving forward, Sanders appears all but destined to get into the starting lineup with a handful of games remaining in the season.
“My anticipation is that we’ll see Shedeur Sanders by around Week 13 or 14, because I don’t believe the Cleveland Browns are gonna win many games,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on “First Take” Wednesday. “And because they’re not gonna win many games, right around that time they’ll be eliminated from playoff contention. And as a result of that, you have nothing to lose by putting Shedeur out there just to find out what he can do and what his value may be.”
Smith added that at that point, Cleveland will have essentially no choice with regards to Sanders starting. Browns fans want to see him, he remains a huge celebrity and topic of conversation week in and week out despite not playing, and Cleveland is probably going to finish the year as among the worst teams in the NFL.
If those are the circumstances, Stefanski and the front office will have to give the people what they want. And Sanders’ chance could come sooner if Gabriel gets hurt.
Most likely, Zappe would come in off the bench to fill in for the remainder of any game in which Gabriel goes down. But if he’s out multiple weeks, the Browns can build a game plan for Sanders and afford him a full week of reps with the first team.
Buccaneers are dealing with some bad injury news about Chris Godwin
Given all the injuries the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dealing with, the absolute late thing the team needs is for another key player to go down. That unfortunately seems to be the case with Chris Godwin, who is already dealing with an injury just a few weeks after making his triumphant return to the lineup.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Godwin isn’t expected to play against San Francisco this Sunday.
After missing the first month of the season following his season-ending injury last year, Godwin returned in Week 4 at the exact right time.
Right before his return, the Bucs lost Mike Evans to a hamstring injury that still has him out of action. Godwin’s return also came at a time when Tampa Bay’s offense was reeling from the loss of Luke Goedeke and Cody Mauch, the latter of whom is done for the season with an injury.
So to lose Godwin again amid the myriad of injuries the team is dealing with is less than ideal. While it may seem like nightmare scenario, it’s not the end of the world.
Chris Godwin seems unlikely to play in Week 6 vs. 49ers
One of the reasons Godwin returning was exciting was because he was joining an offense that had Emeka Egbuka on it. The rookie’s rise has been one of the best stories not only for the Bucs but in all of the NFL this season. To pair him up with a threat like Godwin felt like a cheat code.
The results have spoken for themselves. While Godwin hasn’t exploded back onto the scene his presence has certainly in at least some way aided Egbuka’s continued ascent.
Having Egbuka against a beat up 49ers defense is reason to believe the Bucs still have more than a fighting chance to win. It is not be easy; Godwin joins Bucky Irving, along with Evans, as key offensive players who are out for Week 6.
It was a serious injury he suffered less than a year ago, and Godwin didn’t have training camp to ramp back up — he missed its entirety while resting. Hearing that he’s already dealing with an injury is less than ideal but the 4-1 Bucs are in this for the long haul and having him and other key players healthy for a playoff push is all that matters right now.
