After waiting for his turn with the first and second units, Shedeur Sanders finally saw his chance in Cleveland’s preseason opener. Against the Carolina Panthers, Sanders impressed with 14/23 passes for 138 yards and 2 TDs. But then he missed the Philadelphia Eagles matchup and three practices with an oblique strain. When he returned in the LA Rams preseason finale, lacking first-unit connection, he could only complete 3 of 6 passes for 14 yards with no points, but 5 sacks. Still, HC Kevin Stefanski promised, “I’m committed to his development, just like all of our rookies.” Fast forward to now, Stefanski might have more troubles.

On Monday’s episode of SimplyBallDroppin, host Kareem “Ksapp” Sappington bluntly stated, “This is about the misuse and the mistreatment that they’re doing to Shedeur Sanders. Shedeur Sanders is an NFL quarterback who just wants to play football. And for them to try to make an example out of him and use him as a scapegoat to use his jersey sales and then mistreat him as an NFL football player, that’s why people are coming to the forefront making these videos. Because of the mistreatment of Shedeur Sanders.”

During the training camp, Stefanski repeatedly stated that the competition was a four-man battle. And so, Sanders continued to work with what he got. However, despite playing most of the second half against the Rams, where Flacco and Gabriel played with the first and second units, the difference became glaring. Sanders visibly struggled with his field vision. He kept trying to step back, hold the ball longer, just to make better plays. With no help, he got sacked five times on six attempts. When Tyler Huntley, the QB Stefanski brought to substitute an injured Kenny Pickett, was cut from the roster, the ‘battle’ stance became questionable. 

Consequently, everyone now believes that, at least for the coaches in Berea, there was no QB battle. The depth was always sketched out to be Flacco as the primary QB, Pickett and Gabriel behind him, and Sanders at the QB4. However, delaying the update, Stefanski and the Browns certainly made big bucks off the last name that their rookie QB out of Colorado carries. Since April’s NFL Draft, where Sanders got drafted as the 144th overall pick, some big numbers have emerged for the rookie:

• According to Fanatics, Sanders, who stood 3rd in jersey sales rank amongst all the rookies after the NFL Draft concluded, moved to the top, overtaking top picks Travis Hunter and Cam Ward. He was also the only late-round pick on that list.
• Reportedly, Sanders’ jersey sales reaped $250 million, and he commissioned $14 million from the profits.
• Fanatics sold nine different items for Sanders, more than any other rookie.
• His jersey currently ranks No. 14 league-wide on NFL Shop.

If we go back, the visuals from the training camp were quite different. Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett regularly received first-unit reps. Fellow rookie, Gabriel, too, got some sessions with the first and the second unit. Sanders, on the other hand, did not get upgraded to even the second unit despite showing his talent. But when he was asked to open the preseason against the Carolina Panthers, the rookie knew it was his only chance to prove he deserved to stay. And so, he brought a 30-10 win to the team with two TDs. But then came an injury update, which still ticks Ksapp.

“And then, we saw, in the practice, they said he had arm soreness, they held him out. That was another excuse for not giving no reps. Then the oblique injury held him out, that was another excuse for not giving him the reps. Not able to have a connection with the first team, but it seems like everybody on the first team, like (WR) Jerry Jeudy, came out and spoke about him. So, he has that good camaraderie around the team. And it seems like all the teammates like him. They gravitate to him, and he gravitates to them…

“So, what I’m saying is, they gave Joe Flacco the opportunity to play with the first team. They gave Dillon Gabriel opportunity to play with the first unit along with the second unit. But when it was time for Shedeur Sanders come in the game, they gave Shedeur Sanders all the scraps. Guys that are not even gonna make the 53-man roster… They took all the weapons away from him. So, now, the narrative that’s going around Kevin Stefanski trying to sabotage Shedeur Sanders is a real thing.”

In the preseason finale against the Rams, Stefanski pulled out Sanders with the final two minutes left for Huntley. Seeing that the rookie QB was disappointed, receiver DeAndre Carter talked to him calmly with his hands on his shoulders. Tony Brown walked off the field on the sidelines with Sanders.

Even QB coach Bill Musgrave talked to him and made sure he didn’t lose hope. In fact, WR Jeudy, with whom Sanders made connections in the OTAs, confessed to his growth in learning the offensive schemes. When Sanders and DE Myles Garrett were mic’d up during a part of the Panthers’ preseason matchup, everyone caught Garrett telling Sanders that the team might need him moving on. So, the squad is with the rookie, and the fans are too. What remains questionable now is Stefanski’s true intentions.

While we don’t know if the Browns delayed roster conversations to profit off of Sanders’ name, or if they were genuinely waiting to see how the battle turns out, the optics have already given the verdict. Now, with the NFL regular season just around the corner, Pickett still nursing his hamstring, and Gabriel behind Flacco, only time will tell if we get to see Shedeur Sanders take some regular-season snaps.