The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it’s not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want.
Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team.
Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he’s thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents.
“I feel like that it’s not in my control, so I’m not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is,” Sanders said to a question as to why he’s not getting first-team reps. “There’s a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I’m here and I’m thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is.”
Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him.
“It doesn’t make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person,” Sanders said. “I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance.”
The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April’s draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round.
It’s curious why the Browns aren’t giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should absolutely see what Sanders has to offer this summer.
Flacco, 40, isn’t a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team.
Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone’s time.
But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
