To the surprise of almost no one, the Cleveland Browns quarterback competition has not been the star of the show in Day 1 or Day 2 of training camp. Week 1 of Browns training camp still has two more practices, and the decision on whether Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders will be the team’s starter is not required until Week 1 of the season, as both HC Todd Monken and GM Andrew Berry have noted during the first two days in Berea.
Berry also noted that the only variable that matters in deciding the competition
is production, not Sanders’ age and developmental arc, Watson’s contract and history, or any other thing.
According to Ben Solak of ESPN, Sanders’ lack of “elite size to shrug off contact” and lack of “special arm talent,” along with being a “below-average mover for the position,” means he needs to be able to make sure he has perfected one specific throw:
If Sanders is to succeed at the NFL level, he needs this throw in his bag: the quick-release vertical ball against one-on-one coverage. It will be hard for him to create explosive plays otherwise.
The type of throw that Solak is describing Sanders needs is similar to the deep throws Russell Wilson often threw down the sidelines, which were often described as “moon balls.” Those throws do not require a big arm, per se, but great timing and placement are key attributes that can lead to big plays.
Solak did note that Sanders is comfortable in the scramble drill and is often willing to “give his receivers a shot,” which could help him make plays out of structure. Adding a quick-release vertical talent to the good traits Sanders showed last year could unlock the young quarterback’s future.
What do you think of Solak’s comments on Sanders’ size, arm talent and movement skills? Do you think the kind of throw he describes could take Sanders to another level in the NFL?
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