Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders made waves with his latest comments, suggesting he’s ready to play now and could outperform some of the NFL’s current starters.
In an interview with ESPN Cleveland, Sanders said he believes he has the ability to step in and contribute immediately.
“I know if you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I know I’m capable of doing better than that,” Sanders said. “It’s obvious a lot of teams would be playing me, but that’s not in God’s plan right now. And some things happen for a reason and I’m a true believer in that. And whatever his plan for me is I believe in it. So I don’t be stressed or feel bad that I’m in the situation I’m in right now. It’s just funny to me and I just enjoy it.”
Sanders isn’t addressing the Browns’ quarterback situation directly, but Joe Flacco’s play has been hard to ignore. The veteran ranks last in the NFL in passer rating (65.9), with just two touchdowns against four interceptions.
Cleveland turned to Flacco in Week 1 for his experience and steadiness, yet he’s already committed five turnovers, including a costly fumble returned for a touchdown against the Ravens.
That said, the offense’s woes can’t all be pinned on Flacco. The run game has sputtered, and the unit as a whole is producing just 15.3 points per game — ahead of only two teams through three weeks.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Prepared for Opportunity
Sanders, a fifth-round pick by Cleveland, has spent most of the early season working with the scout team while sitting behind Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. Though he remains on the active roster, he serves as the team’s emergency third quarterback and is typically inactive on game days. Still, Sanders has emphasized that he’s preparing every week as if his number could be called at any moment.
“I don’t think playing or not playing is in my head,” Sanders said. “Based on the situation, if things happen and it turns out that I play, then I’ll be out there and I’ll be ready to play. I’m ready to play right now.”
Sanders also admitted he isn’t entirely “comfortable” with his current position.
“I’m not comfortable being a scout team player, honestly. That’s my situation, so I’m going to make the best of it and enjoy my moments,” Sanders said. “This isn’t my end goal. I’m just enjoying myself, learning and doing everything I have to do. Just ready for my opportunity.”
Browns Want Joe Flacco to Get Comfortable
The Browns have acknowledged that Flacco has not looked comfortable within the offense the last few weeks. He’s rarely looked downfield and has relied on checkdowns. The Browns want the 18-year veteran to find a confident rhythm.
“He hasn’t been able to get back into rhythm again. Our job as coach is to get him feeling comfortable and confident and, we’ve been working at that,” Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. “He’s not a guy that gets real up and down, so you wouldn’t sense any of that, but just in the course of the game, allowing him to feel confident that he can rip it and really that’s our job as coaching staff to make sure that we get him there.”
After picking up their first win of the season, Cleveland heads to Detroit on Sunday to take on the Lions. The Browns are a 9.5-point underdog for the matchup.
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