Shedeur Sanders suffered a minor injury during the Cleveland Browns’ joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he is still in line to start preseason game No. 2.
The Browns and Eagles took part in a joint practice together, while Sanders watched from the sideline after injuring his oblique early on.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke to the media before the practice began, and declared Sanders would once again make the start in their next preseason game, under two conditions.
Those conditions are that if Dillon Gabriel and/or Kenny Pickett’s hamstring injuries prevent them from playing, then Sanders will start.
“Yeah, I guess if those guys could not play, yes, and we’re working through that,” Stefanski said.
“We were always going to play our young guys a lot in these games, so we’ll see how it shakes out here over the next couple of days.”
Well, there may now be a third condition, and that’s if Sanders is even healthy enough to start. All reports indicate the injury to be minor, but it still might be too short of a turnaround as the Browns are set to play the Eagles on August 16.
Tyler Huntley could be in line to start if all three quarterbacks are unable to go, as presumed starter, veteran Joe Flacco, is held out.
Stefanski has a lot on his plate when it comes to his five-man quarterback quandary, and it seems everyone and their mom has a different take on it.
Before the news of Sanders’ injury broke, many were confused as to why he wasn’t receiving any first team reps against the Eagles even though he was named the starter beforehand.
“I was a little guilty of it,” said ESPN Cleveland radio host Chris Oldach.
“Scratching my head, freaking out that Tyler Huntley was getting reps over Shedeur Sanders, but then we quickly realized and came to the realization, that he has to be hurt.
“We said maybe some arm soreness again like he had a week ago or so. Oblique injury, we’re waiting on any more information on how long he could be held out.”
The Browns already released their official depth chart following their first preseason game, and Sanders was still ranked fourth, behind Flacco, Pickett and fellow rookie, Gabriel.
Injuries thrust Sanders into the starting role last game, and if the oblique injury isn’t too serious, it looks like it will be doing the same against the Eagles.
Speaking on the latest episode of their Nightcap podcast, both Chad ‘Ochocino’ Johnson and Shannon Sharpe were confused as to what else Sanders had to do to prove to Stefanski and the Browns staff that he is much further along than being relegated to No. 4 on the depth chart.
“So you see Shedeur do what he does in three quarters of football,” Johnson said. “So in a live game, you saw him play the way he played and still question if he can do the same thing when he has the actual starters at his disposal. I’m confused.”
Sharpe interjected and asked: “What about Dillon Gabriel? Has he shown you enough to make them believe that three weeks from now that he can lead this team against a complicated defense?
NFL's Greatest......
Ranking the top 10......
Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?
Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?
Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and more
Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?
“I digress even further. Has Kenny Pickett ever shown you that he can lead a team against a complicated defense? Because all I keep hearing is what you’re telling me he [Sanders] can’t do… well the job as a coach is to put players in position and find something that they can do.”
“Wait a minute, where’s the ‘can’t’ coming from? We just saw him do it,” the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver replied.
“I know it’s a small sample size…but everything you said he can’t do, he just did. Matter of fact, he just did what we saw him do at Jackson State, and Colorado.
“I played the game for a very long time, I’m a receiver. I know what it’s supposed to look like. I know what it looks like when there is a quarterback who’s playing in a game and he’s confident.
“He’s polished, his pocket presence, his mannerisms, I know what it should look like.”
The Browns coaching staff seems to disagree, and while it’s only one preseason game, Sanders did fare well. All eyes will be on the rookie if he is healthy enough to take the reins again on Saturday against the Eagles and prove himself even more.