The Cleveland Browns provided a rare update on Shedeur Sanders ahead of their Week 11 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Cleveland has remained relatively quiet about its high-profile backup quarterback in recent weeks, but head coach Kevin Stefanski offered praise on Friday, highlighting Sanders’ growth both on the field and in the classroom.
“He’s doing a really nice job. Including just now coming off the field with the red zone drill we did,” Stefanski said on Friday. “Continues to work really hard. Doing a nice job in meetings. Doing a good job on the field.”
Stefanski noted that nothing has changed with Sanders’ workload in practice. He’s still not taking reps with the first-team offense. That marks a shift from earlier in the year, when Dillon Gabriel saw occasional first-team work while backing up then-starter Joe Flacco.
Browns Are Doing Things Differently With Shedeur Sanders, Rookies
With limited reps to go around, Sanders has been working after practice to get more. It’s not typical, but the Browns have tweaked how they do things this season with so many rookies in the mix, per Stefanski.
“Going back to the spring, we’ve done a lot of things we haven’t done before because we have so many rookies. You’re trying to maximize every minute you have out there,” Stefanski said. “Certainly, throughout this season, we’ve tried to be extremely intentional in the development of our players.
“You’re not just assuming they’re getting better by just sitting in meetings. You want to give them physical reps as well.”
That said, Stefanski has downplayed the idea of Sanders replacing Gabriel as the starter and being in the mix to see action on the field anytime soon.
“I don’t think it’s fair to speculate,” Stefanski said Monday about a possible timeline for Sanders to see the field. “We’re committed to getting better as an offense. Dillon is certainly committed to improving every which way he can. And all the while, all of our players, our young players are developing and working so hard behind the scenes to make sure that they’re getting better on a daily basis.”
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Nearing Return
An interesting wrinkle for the Browns is the return of Deshaun Watson, which appears to be nearing. Watson has been sidelined for more than a year while recovering from a twice-ruptured Achilles tendon.
“Deshaun Watson continues to make excellent progress in his comeback from a re-ruptured Achilles, but the Browns aren’t opening his 21-day practice window this week,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot said this week. “The Browns will wait at least until least Week 12 against the Raiders to designate Watson for return from reserve/Physically Unable to Perform. They expect to have more clarity on his timeframe over the next couple of weeks.”
If Watson does return, it’s unclear where he’d fit in on the depth chart. He remains under contract through 2026 on his fully guaranteed $230 million deal, but the Browns appear focused on their long-term future. That includes giving extended evaluations to both Gabriel and Sanders to see what they can offer moving forward.
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