Shedeur Sanders earning early NFL respect with extra reps at Browns minicamp

You can tell a lot about a quarterback by what he does when the cameras shut off.

For Shedeur Sanders, what he’s doing after practice might say more than any press conference ever will.

On Wednesday, long after most of his teammates had cleared the field, Sanders stayed back—throwing rollout passes, fine-tuning his footwork, and grinding through extra reps under the Ohio sun. For about 20 minutes, he drilled like a man who knows he has something to prove. And honestly, he does.

Quietly making noise

Sanders is working from behind in Cleveland’s quarterback pecking order. Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel—all names ahead of him on paper—are splitting top reps. But Sanders is doing what he’s always done: showing up early, staying late, and letting his game speak louder than his name.

Through two days of Browns minicamp, Sanders has posted the highest completion percentage among all quarterbacks in team drills. He went 10-for-12 with two touchdowns on Day 1. On Day 2, he followed it up with an 8-of-9 line and another score. That’s 85.7% accuracy across 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods. No matter where you fall on the QB depth chart, that’s elite.

That’s how Shedeur described his mindset to reporters this week. And you believe it when you see how he’s carrying himself.

He isn’t just adapting to the NFL—he already seems quite comfortable. He’s working on drops from under center. He’s sharpening his timing with second-team receivers. And he’s owning every inch of opportunity Cleveland gives him.

Coach Stefanski’s take

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has taken note, praising Sanders’ attitude and commitment.

“He’s in the building early, getting his work done,” Stefanski told ESPN Cleveland. “I like everything there is about Shedeur.”

Still, Stefanski has made it clear that minicamp rotations don’t reflect future depth charts. The reps are being spread, the system is being installed, and—at least for now—Sanders remains a developmental piece.

But make no mistake: he’s closing the gap.

Focused—maybe to a fault?

Earlier this offseason, Sanders made headlines for revealing that he hadn’t spoken much to family since the draft—not even to Coach Prime. Yesterday he denied to share on his father's health issues.

But inside football circles, it’s not unheard of. Rookies often cut distractions to lock in.

For Shedeur, that tunnel vision might be less about distance and more about discipline. He dropped to the fifth round. He’s using that fall the only way he knows how: as fuel.

And if the early results are any indication, it seems to be working.

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