BEREA — Shedeur Sanders’ first NFL start will come in Las Vegas on Sunday.
The setting seems fitting.
Sanders has a megawatt smile perfect for The Strip and is one of the most popular and polarizing figures in the sport, despite being a rookie who’s only played two quarters in the league.
Coach Kevin Stefanski made the expected announcement Wednesday morning before practice. Rookie starter Dillon Gabriel remained in the concussion protocol and won’t practice, bumping Sanders to QB1. Rather than wait to see if Gabriel could return before the game, Stefanski decided to go with Sanders and give him the week to prepare as the starter to face the Raiders.
He’d be the 42nd starting quarterback for the Browns since the franchise returned in 1999, and the 14th rookie. They’ve gone 0-13.
Just like Gabriel when he started, Sanders will take all of the first-team practice repetitions. This week will be the first time he’s gotten any with the starters during the regular season.
Stefanski and coordinator Tommy Rees will tailor the game plan to Sanders for the matchup of 2-8 teams.
“You’re always trying to do that with all your players, make sure that they’re comfortable,” Stefanski said. “You want to make sure that all the concepts are things that he feels confident in. Obviously, having been around him over the months, you get a good sense of the things that fit his eyes, so to speak. So definitely want to lean into those type of things and he’s working very hard.”
Sanders made his debut Sunday, playing the entire second half in the 23-16 loss to the Ravens at Huntington Bank Field. Gabriel took a big hit toward the end of the first half on a designed run, experienced symptoms at halftime and was placed in the concussion protocol.
The Browns led 16-10 at halftime but were shut out in the second half with Sanders. He went 4-for-16 for 47 yards, an interception, two sacks and a 13.5 passer rating.
“I don’t think I played good. I don’t think I played good at all,” Sanders said after the game. “I think it’s a lot of things we need to look at during the week and go and just get comfortable.”
Sanders was originally predicted to be a top-five pick but fell to the fifth round, where the Browns traded up to No. 144 to get him. He’s the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion, who coached him at Jackson State and then Colorado.
Approximately $200,000 in property stolen from Shedeur Sanders’ house during game, police say
Sanders’ house in Granger Township was burglarized during the game Sunday, with three masked thieves stealing approximately $200,000 in property, according to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office.
“The authorities are on that,” Stefanski said. “Shedeur is very focused on the task at hand.”
Sanders came from a simplistic offensive system at Colorado in which they didn’t huddle and he didn’t have to call plays. The Browns knew it would be a difficult transition, but Stefanski likes how he’s developed.
“We’ve talked a lot over the course of these months is just learning NFL defenses for young players,” Stefanski said. “Learning, obviously, our system, but I always point out to the quarterbacks that every week you’re facing a defense that oftentimes has completely different rules than the defense you just played. Whether it’s how they play their cover-3 or some of their blitz, some of your blitz protection calls can vary week to week.
“So I just see Shedeur, Dillon, all of our young guys, but in particular that quarterback room, growing a ton both just with the X’s and O’s and then all the work you do in individual periods. I just think all that work adds up. So I do see significant growth from Shedeur and all these young guys.”
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