Despite a rough preseason finale, Shedeur Sanders feels like he’s done enough to make the Cleveland Browns‘ 53-man roster — and perhaps even start at some point.
Sanders entered in the second half against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday and couldn’t get anything going. In fact, the offense mostly went backwards in the second half. He was sacked five times for a cumulative loss of 41 yards and Sanders completed just three passes for 16 yards.
Sanders was much better in his preseason debut, passing for 138 yards and two scores against the Carolina Panthers back on Aug. 8. He didn’t play in the team’s second preseason game as he dealt with an oblique injury.
The Browns will be trimming their roster to 53 players in the coming days. Sanders believes he’s a lock.
“Obviously,” Sanders said when asked if he feels he’s done enough to make the final cut.
He continued: “I think overall as a player, I think I put in the work. I feel like everything I do, I try to do it to my best, and that’s all I can ask for. … I feel like I do, but I’m my own player. I think about myself in a high regard. It’s not my decision.”
Sanders also gave a one-word response on if he should get a shot as the starter.
“Yeah,” Sanders told Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.
Browns Likely to Keep Shedeur Sanders
The Browns are expected to keep four quarterbacks. Browns general manager Andrew Berry all but confirmed that during his in-game interview.
“It’s not much of a decision for us. All four guys have done what we’ve asked. Obviously, three of them have dealt with injuries throughout their time here,” Berry said. “The reality of it is, you have 53 roster spots, five are really developmental or inactive spots. Plus, post-COVID, the roster rules are so much more flexible. You can build your game day roster pretty creatively. Quarterback is the most important position in sports. We have a room where we like all the guys in there. We don’t see it as a problem, we see it as more of an opportunity.”
Some have seen the four-quarterback stance by the Browns as potential trade bait. It’s an unconventional move, especially with two rookies in the mix. Joe Flacco will start Week 1, with Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Sanders expected to stick around as backups.
Shedeur Sanders Not Pleased With Being Pulled
Sanders looked like he would have a final shot to prove himself in a high-pressure situation against the Rams. The Browns went down by a point with two minutes remaining but instead chose to insert veteran Tyler Huntley, who is not expected to make the final roster.
Sanders was visibly disappointed by the decision on the sideline and spoke about it after the game.
“I didn’t know I was out. I was on the bike, I was powering up for that two-minute drive. That’s a situation every quarterback dreams about,” Sanders said after the game. “That’s a situation I’ve been in before. I thought I was in but then he told me I wasn’t.”
The Browns will open their regular season on Sept. 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
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