Shedeur Sanders sparked the Browns’ win over the Raiders last week, but now, the next test looms at Huntington Bank Field against the 49ers. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees addressed the situation bluntly in a recent presser, sharing what Sanders needs to work on. 

“I don’t think there’s like a magic solution here, right? I think you just gotta continue to show evidence of, hey, this is a clean pocket.” Rees said. “With him [Shedeur], there’s the balance of, hey, he can do some things creatively outside of the pocket.”

Rees explained the rookie has the tools to extend plays but must sharpen his judgment on when to trust the protection and when to escape pressure. Breaking it down further, the OC reflected on specific moments from the recent win over Las Vegas.

“There was a third down there during the game last week where I felt like we could have stayed in there instead of flushing out to our left. He’s the first one to recognize those things,” Rees added.

Another play illustrated the delicate dance Sanders must master: responding to pressure from his right, he wisely moved and picked out a receiver downfield.

“He does a really nice job of keeping his eyes downfield as he evades,” Rees noted.

This, the coach said, comes with patience, repetition, and experience. The kind that shapes a young quarterback’s growth. And Sanders is already breaking records with his first start. He became the first rookie quarterback since Eric Zeier in 1995 to win his first NFL start. But Rees feels the rookie needs to learn how to stay in the pocket.

“There’s one thing that we do that gets him to stay in the pocket? I think it’s just the teachable moments that come up throughout the course of a game to show him what a clean pocket looks like,” he said.

Sanders, who is set to make his second start of the regular season, stepped up when Dillon Gabriel went down with a concussion. However, Gabriel has cleared all concussion protocols; still, Sanders will start against the Niners. And here are a few things Rees wants him to prepare for.

Rees raises concerns about Shedeur Sanders vs. the 49ers

With the Browns going up against Robert Saleh’s 49ers, Rees knows the challenges Cleveland will face. 

“They play fast, they rally to the football, they attack you defensively,” Rees pointed out. “The thing Salah does really well is his pressure packages. I know the sack numbers aren’t maybe what they want, but the pressure on the quarterback, they’re able to create that a lot of different ways, so we’ll have our work cut out for us.”

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Cleveland’s offense shows promise but faces a tough task as the 49ers rank 22nd in yards allowed per game at 411.2 and 26th in rushing defense, giving up 290.1 yards per game. Meanwhile, San Francisco’s defense, though missing key stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, ranks 11th in points allowed, demonstrating resilience despite injuries. 

Historically, the 49ers have dominated this matchup, holding an all-time 13-8 lead against the Browns, but haven’t won a game in Cleveland since 1984, adding a layer of motivation for both teams.