Colorado Buffaloes football legend Shedeur Sanders will “definitely” make the Cleveland Browns’ roster, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
“As for Sanders, he’ll definitely make the Browns’ roster this season, but he has a steep climb to the starting job, with Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, the Browns’ third-round pick, all in his way,” Cabot wrote.
As for whether Sanders can start for the Browns in Week 1, that’s not terribly likely to happen.
Cabot tabbed Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett as Cleveland’s likely QB1.
But Cabot didn’t write off Sanders improving enough to force himself into those conversations by the end of Browns training camp.
“With an excellent showing from the snap to the end of the play, Sanders earned more quality reps in training camp, which begins in late July. That’s when he’ll get his first reps with the starters, and more work in 11-on-11s. He’ll need to improve his pre-snap process to have a chance, but he has the high football acumen and work ethic to narrow the gap quickly,” Cabot wrote.
“Ultimately, the Browns will probably end up starting one of the veterans, either Flacco or Pickens, in Week 1, but Sanders still has a chance to make like (Randy) Hedberg, and hopefully for him, fare much better if he does.”
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft pick Randy Hedberg was the only fifth-round quarterback to ever start for his team in Week 1.
Sanders will almost certainly not join his company this September. But he will be on the roster in case injuries pile up and force him to be.