Those hoping to see Shedeur Sanders take snaps in a regular-season NFL game are only one play away from getting their wish.
After a tumultuous week that saw the Browns trade their season-opening starter, Joe Flacco, to a division rival, and reports that Sanders’ status as QB3 would be unchanged by the move, the Browns have decided to promote the league’s most popular backup to QB2.
This move makes him only one play away from the starting job.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters on Friday that Sanders would back up starting QB and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
“In any decision, with the football team, just want to take time and make sure I’m doing what’s right for the players,” Stefanski said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
There had been some discussion earlier this week that practice squad QB Bailey Zappe could become the team’s backup instead of Sanders. This ignited a firestorm of controversy on social media, which may or may not have influenced the Browns’ decision to officially declare Sanders as the backup.
The Browns lost Gabriel’s debut as the starter last week against Minnesota. However, the former Oregon Duck didn’t play badly. Altogether, he completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards with two touchdowns.