Now that we have, finally, seen the Cleveland Browns debut of quarterback Shedeur Sanders, such as it was, the issue of which player should be running the show for the team in the near future probably should be settled. With Sanders completing four passes on 12 attempts, throwing an interception and taking two sacks in less than one full half of work, it appears that neither Sanders nor Dillon Gabriel is fit to lead this team.
After the 23-16 loss to the Ravens, perhaps it should be Bailey Zappe time.
Alas, the Browns will move forward picking between the two rookies, with Gabriel now in concussion protocol and Sanders ready to start against the Raiders in Las Vegas–where many thought he’d be playing this season–on Sunday afternoon if Gabriel remains out. While both appear outmatched at this point, the natural question that has emerged is whether the Browns players themselves have a preference between Gabriel or Sanders.
Browns Have No ‘Division’ on QB Choice
That question was put to third-year receiver Cedric Tillman, the reliable Browns target who has been on the IR for four weeks with a hamstring injury and had missed much of the Dillon Gabriel-Shedeur Sanders drama. In Week 11, Tillman caught the best throw of the day from Gabriel, a 26-yard strike in the seam, and had earlier caught a 21-yarder.
He also caught the first pass of Sanders’ career, a five-yard check-down in the third quarter. On Monday, Tillman was diplomatic when answering whether there was locker-room tension over whether Sanders or Gabriel ought to be the starter.
“No, I don’t think there is any division,” Tillman said.
He then wanted to clarify, in case his use of the word “think” left a bit of doubt. “No, ” he emphasized, “there’s not division. I don’t want to say, ‘think.’ There’s not any division.”
Shedeur Sanders-Dillon Gabriel Debate a Browns ‘Coach’s Decision’
One of the Sanders-Gabriel issues that has also swirled around the Browns has been the way the team has set up its practice routine since the trade of Joe Flacco a month ago, which sees Gabriel get the first-team reps, with Sanders limited only to second-team reps. That means that his debut on Sunday marked the first time Sanders had played with the first-teamers.
Tillman was asked about that, too, but recognized the potential for getting entangled in a verbal trap. Laughing, he said, “That’s coach’s decision. Coach’s decision.”
Surely, though, it would benefit Sanders to get some run with the first team? Said Tillman: “I think it would help, obviously, getting reps with the 1s and stuff like that. I guess we’ll just see how the week goes.”
Shedeur Sanders Competitiveness Left Impression
Despite the unimpressive numbers in his Browns debut, Sanders impressed Tillman with his ability to fight through adversity and keep the team in the mix despite the difficult situation.
“He’s a competitor,” Tillman said. “Obviously, playing with him, that was the first time. So that was cool. But I see him every day, how he works and stuff like that, how he prepares. So it was cool being out there with him, seeing him be a competitor. So it was good, I am looking forward to it.”
But Tillman was clear: For him and other Browns players, whomever the coaches choose to put on the field, their job is the same.
“Rather is Dillon out there or Shedeur, we’re gonna do our jobs out there to execute, to help those guys out,” he said. “Rather it’s Dillon or Shedeur, it’s the job of the other guys on the field to help those guys out and to make plays.”
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