The Cleveland Browns have not decided who will start at quarterback this season, but one thing is becoming clear as training camp approaches. Shedeur Sanders is giving the coaching staff plenty to think about. The second-year quarterback has continued to improve throughout the offseason and is putting real pressure on veteran Deshaun Watson in the battle for the Browns’ starting job.
Although no decision was made after mandatory minicamp, the competition is wide open. Sanders has earned praise for the way he reads defenses and processes plays before the snap, leading Browns coaches to believe he is developing into a much more complete quarterback than the one who entered the league a year ago.
Browns coach Mike Bajakian praises Shedeur Sanders’ football IQ
Much of the praise has come from quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian, who said Sanders regularly notices things on the field that even the coaching staff fully understands only after watching film.
Explaining why the young quarterback has caught his attention, Bajakian said, “I’m blown away. I think Shedeur has a really good vision of the field, and he’ll say things in practice sometimes, where I’d be like, ‘What did you get there?’.”
He continued, “Or I see something on the field that doesn’t resonate with me, and then when I go back to watch it on video, he might be thrown a deep post versus post safety look in what is maybe a jog-through type of tempo.”
Draft analyst Chris Pflum had also praised his ability to recognize defensive looks before the snap, saying his football intelligence often made up for the lack of elite physical traits.
Shedeur Sanders continues to close gap in Browns quarterback battle
The Browns entered the offseason expecting Deshaun Watson to lead the quarterback room, but the battle has become much tighter over the last few months. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler previously reported that Watson was the early favorite, though Sanders has steadily narrowed the gap through his performances during OTAs and minicamp.
During his rookie season, Sanders threw for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was also sacked 23 times and often held onto the football too long. Coaches now believe he has sped up his decision-making, one of the biggest areas they wanted him to improve before his second NFL season.
Bajakian has also been impressed by Sanders’ commitment away from the practice field. According to the coach, the young quarterback spends plenty of time studying film and often looks at how elite players, including Lamar Jackson, manipulate defenses.