The Browns QB competition will be decided in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons
The Cleveland Browns quarterback room is pretty crowded. Two veterans. Two rookies. At this point, we can assume that the team will be carrying three quarterbacks by the time the 53-man roster is finalized when the preseason is over.
Most likely, that will be one veteran and two rookies. That veteran could be Joe Flacco, who we learned doesn’t dance in public.
When it comes to every quarterback getting reps, it’s apparent that not every quarterback will get the same share. One particular quarterback who faces these odds is rookie 5th-rounder Shedeur Sanders. Despite this, Sanders main goal should be efficiency, instead of “wow plays” to work his way up the depth chart.
An offense’s efficiency is vital
Let’s get this out of the way now: It is highly unlikely Sanders will be cut by the team. However, the Colorado quarterback has to realize that he’s not going to get the same share of reps in a loaded quarterback room.
As a quarterback, Sanders has his limitations. He lacks the ability to create out of structure, doesn’t have the biggest arm, and he will tend to create more sacks than throwing the ball out of harm’s way. However, Sanders has one thing that he excels at, and that’s playing with timing and accuracy.
With the Browns offense going back to heavy usage of play action and run game, head coach Kevin Stefanski will be looking at two things in his quarterback: How well does he operate the offense and how efficient the offense is with the QB.
Watching Sanders’s tape when he was at Colorado, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year did his best to keep his offense on time and on schedule. The Buffaloes’ offense as a whole was flawed; their offensive line struggled in pass protection and struggled to run the ball.
Despite those issues, Sanders was able to put up quality numbers.
Sanders can work his way up the chart in certain practice situations
Sanders will get his opportunities with certain situations where he has to impress the coaching staff, including in-game-like situations that they will simulate in practice and eventual joint practices the team will have during training camp.
Whether Sanders works with starters or backups, it shouldn’t deter him. His work ethic is undeniable, and he is smart in terms of his football knowledge. As far as the practice situations he will be in, redzone offense and the two-minute drill could be the areas that could work out in his favor. Mainly, the two-minute drill will be important because it’s all about how the offense looks.
If Sanders is able to operate the offense, he could work his way up the depth chart, and then the possibilities are endless.
Efficiency, not big plays, should be the main focus for Sanders despite potentially not having enough reps that will be heading his way.