Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is making his second career start Sunday with the Cleveland Browns hosting the San Francisco 49ers, in a contest that carries far more weight than a typical late-season matchup.
Beyond the obvious objective of moving to 2-0 with Sanders under center, the final six games of the year now double as an extended evaluation period that could determine whether the first-round pick becomes Cleveland’s long-term answer at the position.
According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, the Browns are prepared to keep Sanders as the starter for the remainder of the season provided he shows continued growth. A prolonged slump, however, could open the door for the team to turn back to veteran Dillon Gabriel.
That said, the early returns from inside the organization remain overwhelmingly positive. Wolfe reported Sunday that general manager Andrew Berry has been effusive in his praise of the young signal-caller’s rapid development.
“Talking to people around the Browns, they plan to give him the rest of the season to be the starter as long as he continues to progress,” Wolfe said before the game in Cleveland.
“It could be a six-game audition to prove to the Browns they don’t need to draft a quarterback with one of their two first-round picks next year. I talked to Browns GM Andrew Berry — he raved about Shedeur’s progress, saying he’s come a long way in a short period of time. He also called him a playmaker. ‘He’s going to make plays. We don’t want to take that out of him. They want to see him minimize his downside, continue to be Shedeur, and maybe, just maybe, he’s the Browns’ answer at quarterback.’”
Sanders made his NFL starting debut last week against the Las Vegas Raiders, where he completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards, threw one touchdown and one interception, and posted an 87.3 passer rating in a winning effort.
Sunday brings a markedly different test. Forecasters are calling for gusty winds at Huntington Bank Field, conditions that could limit the passing attack for both sides and place greater responsibility on the ground game.
How Sanders manages the elements and protects the football in a potentially low-scoring affair will be watched closely by a front office still weighing its quarterback future this offseason.
For a Browns franchise that has started 32 different quarterbacks since 1999, the next six weeks represent the clearest opportunity yet to finally end the search.
