Back in Week 1, Browns rookie running back Dylan Sampson was the starter as the team waited out the suspension of Quinshon Judkins. Sampson had 12 carries and just 29 yards, but did well in the passing game, catching eight balls for 64 yards. Fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders, meanwhile, was buried on the Browns depth chart at the time.
Much changed, of course, going into Week 12’s Sunday afternoon game in Las Vegas, with Sanders moving to the starting role for the Browns and Sampson struggling to find opportunities in the offense after Judkins’ return.
But Sanders and Sampson hooked up for the game-sealing play in the fourth quarter, a 66-yard screen pass that Sampson took for a touchdown. It was a good way to add to Sanders’ numbers in the 24-10 win, and a breakout play for Sampson, who got to show off his 4.42-second 40-yard dash speed on the run.
Browns Find Shedeur Sanders ‘Has a Lot of Confidence in Himself’
On Monday, as the Browns processed what was just their third win but also their best overall performance–albeit against an awful Raiders team–of the season, Sampson was asked if Cleveland had shown some new life stemming from the relentless confidence of their new quarterback.
Sanders, no doubt, has a certain amount of swagger. It’s entirely possible that NFL teams were scared off in the draft by that swagger, leading to the improbable Sanders freefall from a sure first-rounder to a Browns fifth-rounder.
Said Sampson: “I just think you see in terms of how he views himself, he has a lot of confidence in himself. You can tell by the way he just handles his business and the way he carries himself. But I think he went out there and he played hard, you know, he was competitive.
“Team player as well—good or bad, he came back to the sideline and let everybody know, ‘We straight. Keep out there, keep going.’ That’s what you want in a person and it’s only going to get better as we go.”
Shedeur Sanders Has Been an NFL Lifer
Sampson said there was more enthusiasm emanating from the Browns offense–and, again, the Raiders have something to do with that. But so does Sanders, who grew up with Deion Sanders, one of the great defensive backs and kick returners in NFL history, as his father.
“I think that is the person he is, the way he grew up, the lifestyle he was around,” Sampson said. “I mean, also, again, speaks to just the confidence he has in his self, the way he goes about his game is very unique in his own way. In turn, it kinda affects everybody else around, you know. We all have different relationships with each other and that’s just kind of the relationship that he brings on.”
Browns Could Give Dylan Sampson More Opportunity
For Sampson, the big play in the fourth quarter not only helped the Browns to secure a win, it also helped bolster his own confidence amid a sometimes frustrating season in which he has not gotten all the opportunities he would like.
“It felt great to come up in a big moment, put some closing finishes to the dub we got,” he said. “But this season kinda been long for me, just staying down, staying the course, working every single day in practice, doing what I can. But this is the moment you work for, you work for opportunities like this.”
Sampson is hopeful there are more chances ahead, too.
“Obviously, when you’re sitting there kinda like that, you just want to be able to affect the game positively in any way. …” he said, “Whatever it’s like going forward, I just want to continue to fight for more opportunities and more ways to impact this team in the best way possible.”
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