Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry used an interesting analogy during the preseason to describe the challenges a rookie quarterback faces in moving from college to the NFL.
Berry compared the transition to someone being “fluent in English, and now you have to learn Mandarin,” specifically referencing the steep learning curve Shedeur Sanders would have to overcome before being ready to face NFL defenses.
Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans was the third consecutive start for Sanders,
and it appears that the grade book will mark him as having passed the English part of the test.
But the more difficult part is looming over the next three weeks.
“His huddle, the cadence, his comfort, and maybe starting to see things, like he flipped the protection this week once and just got things on the same page. So that growth is definitely there, and it’s good to see.” – Joel Bitonio on Shedeur Sanders
This is a sentence that is going to trigger people, but the Browns and Sanders could not have asked for a better three-game stretch for a rookie quarterback to get up to speed than the one they just completed.
In those three starts, Sanders and Cleveland’s offense faced, according to Sumer Sports:
- The Las Vegas Raiders, currently at No. 26 in EPA/Pass.
- The San Francisco 49ers, currently at No. 25 in EPA/Pass.
- The Tennessee Titans, currently at No. 29 in EPA/Pass.
And in those three games, there have been the usual mix of good and bad from Sanders and the offense:
- The good: 5 touchdown passes vs. 2 interceptions
- The bad: 12-of-37 on third downs
- The good: the return of explosive plays
- The bad: series after series where the offense can’t find its rhythm
Sunday’s game was a good example as Sanders was 9-of-14 for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help the Browns take a three-point lead into halftime. But that lead quickly turned into a 14-point deficit late in the fourth quarter after seven consecutive drives ended in either a punt (four times) or a turnover (three times), as Sanders completed just five passes in 18 attempts for 75 yards.
But then on the final two offensive drives of the afternoon, Sanders was 9-of-10 for 109 yards and led the Browns to a pair of touchdowns.
“He came up big when we needed him to. There’s going to be some ups and downs for anyone, especially a rookie. But he went in there, and he looked composed, he escaped out of some sacks, broke the pocket, made some big-time plays, and just looking for him to continue to grow. Looking for that clock to speed up a little bit, but he looks more and more at ease each week.” – Myles Garrett on Shedeur Sanders
Even though both of those late touchdown drives were helped by penalties from the Titans, the fact remains that Sanders and the offense were able to shake the malaise that enveloped them through most of the second half and fight to the end. It didn’t result in a win, but it still has to count for something, given that we’ve seen Cleveland teams in similar situations over the years give up the fight.
It is also worth noting that the touchdown drives featured key plays from the other rookies, including a 14-yard completion to Gage Larvadain to get the Browns into scoring position, a 31-yard catch-and-run by Dylan Sampson, and a touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr. While much of the focus has been placed on Sanders, the rest of the offensive rookies have been doing their part every week and it showed again on Sunday.
The competition is about to get a lot more difficult, however, starting this week against the Chicago Bears, the first of three consecutive games against teams battling for the playoffs.
“I think collectively, we kind of got together. You can see his growth throughout the games he’s been playing. His mentality is he’s going to go and try to make a play. We got somebody like that, we got to keep fighting.” – Dylan Sampson on Shedeur Sanders
Chicago may only be ranked No. 19 in EPA/Pass, but it leads the league in interceptions. After the Bears come home games against the Buffalo Bills (No. 10 in EPA/Pass), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 14 in EPA/Pass but also a team that continually gives the Browns fits).
Sanders and the offense may have earned passing grades these past three weeks in what could be considered remedial English, given the level of competition they have faced. But they are about to take a step up in class, which will provide a much truer test of just how well things are progressing.
If all goes well, then the club may be able to enter the offseason without having the full pressure of finding their next quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft or from the annual unappealing crop of free agents.
And if not? The Browns have a nice insurance policy in place with two first-round selections to use on yet another quarterback and start the whole learning process over once again.
What do you think, Browns fans? Has Sheduer Sanders done enough that the Browns can be confident moving forward with him? Or is it still too early to tell? Let us know in the comments!
