Shedeur Sanders has been wearing a Cleveland Browns uniform for more than a year, but there were moments after Saturday’s preseason loss to the Chicago Bears when he sounded very much like the quarterback Colorado fans watched for two seasons.
Now in his second NFL season, Sanders is competing with veteran Deshaun Watson for the starting quarterback job in Cleveland. That competition has placed added importance on every practice rep and preseason opportunity as the Browns evaluate their options behind center.
Sanders finished 6-of-11 passing for 79 yards with one interception in Cleveland’s 34-10 loss. The numbers were not spectacular, but his postgame comments offered a window into how he is processing the game and carrying his preparation into the NFL.
“I don’t really get excited about the big plays and that stuff no more because it’s like playing chess,” Sanders said. “It’s like if you do this, we going to do that, you know? So, it’s just the right move in the right time.”
That type of confidence became familiar during Sanders’ time at Colorado. His focus was often less on the result of one play and more on understanding what the defense was showing him and responding correctly.
That mindset has carried into Cleveland.
“I feel like bullets always flying in practice. I always feel like that,” Sanders said. “So, it’s the attitude how we go about practice every day. That’s what makes the game more like real.”
Shedeur said previous experience has also helped speed up what he sees on the field.
“Even having some experience in the reps and experience of last year helps me in the film study,” Sanders said. “Being able to look at the film and watch everything to make the mind go a little faster.”
For Sanders, recognition is only part of the equation.
“It’s like you could think something, but then after you think something, you got to do it,” Sanders said. “So, it’s just about how much do you know it to be able to recognize it as things going on.”
He believed that preparation showed up after the snap against Chicago.
“I think I had great post-snap visibility and being able to see what was going on,” Sanders said.
There was also an emphasis on something that became increasingly important during his Colorado career: getting everyone around him operating with the same understanding.
“We’re a unit and I’m excited about that because I know that that helps us all think the same,” Sanders said.
Sanders did throw an interception against Chicago, but he viewed it as an execution mistake rather than a problem with what he saw.
“What I see, the right read, just it just slipped,” Sanders said. “I just didn’t execute the decision.”
Perhaps the most familiar answer came when Sanders was asked whether another preseason appearance allowed him to get his feet wet before his next opportunity.
“Oh, no. My feet get wet every day at practice,” Sanders said. “It just felt like another day at practice, honestly.”
His next chance could be his biggest opportunity yet in the competition with Watson. Sanders is expected to start next Saturday when Cleveland faces the Buffalo Bills at home.
“I’m just excited getting reps,” Sanders said. “Definitely...excited for this week.”
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