DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Football Gods trying to help

Could the free-fall drop of Shadeur Sanders be the footballs gods finally blessing the Cleveland Browns. I know it sounds far-fetched, but is it? imagine this: Sanders winning the starting job by week 9 and plays efficeintly for the remaining eight games. That would give the Browns 3+ season of their starting QB on a 5th-round rookie contract (less than $1.5 milion per).

Add to that the insurance cap relief in 2026 for Watson and the final year of Watson's contract, itself. It would give the browns some relief of the 90+ million Watson cap hit that is coming due. This would also free up the Browns to use their two first rounders on playmakers, rather than another qb in '26, sign some needed FA help and start to replenish their roster with good, young talent.

It's true the Watson trade set the Browns back 5 years but if things play out just right...... The gods are throwing the Browns a bone, but will they pick it up? Or will the Browns be the Browns?

Who knows?

The Cowboys were in a tight spot when their franchise QB (Tony Romo) was lost in the preseason. Their 4th rounder, Dak Prescott, came in and took the job from there on.

I suppose it could happen here ...... but who knows?

I think they could possibly be very fortunate with Sanders if something like that was to happen. I think he has a better shot that Gabriel, but I still worry Sanders is too small also. If Sanders was to hit and Dawand Jones shows he is the future left tackle the two 1st round picks next year could be used to really move the needle on the team. Those are both big? so, I am not holding my breath but will be rooting for something like this to happen.

lol yeah right? We’re the Browns. And the football gods are Steeler fans.

I see it as a wild card type player. He probably won't work out, but we were gonna suck anyways, so might as well take a swing

Sanders does have a lot of potential if he learns to process the game faster and improves his arm talent. Problem is he is still a short QB with mediocre arm talent who takes way too long in deciding to pass the ball. I just worry thank picking him up means that we will have a room full of QBs who don't get the reps they need to be ready for the season and all of them suffer for it. Then it cascades into wasting the first round pick we got from Jacksonville, our first round pick, and maybe a future first round pick to move up to take yet another QB in next years draft. It could work out great or end up in disaster. It's the Browns ... which do YOU think it will end up being?

Is none of the above an option? Because that is my choice.

I think we need to figure out which of the 3 younger QBs needs to be cut by the end of TC, and then we'll be good. Ideally, we figure out quick if Pickett can be a contributor or not. I think the bar that he needs to meet is higher (is he starter material or not).

To be clear, I've already kinda given up on this season. Flacco would need to not only pick up where he left off, but also improve slightly in the turnover area and our run game has to return to pre-Chubb-injury levels. That's a lot of ifs to come through for us all in one off-season.

So you’re saying there’s a chance….

More than likely the QB of the future will be drafted next year but this year does offer a few intriguing opportunities that would be quite refreshing for Browns fans if they did play out.

1. If Kenny Pickett did somehow turn into a franchise QB. I do think he has the tools to do what Baker is doing in Tampa. 2 real problems are the Browns do not have receivers like Evans, Godwin, and Ebuka and the AFC Noth is much better than the NFC South. But if he did somehow turn into something it would be a constant black eye on Tomlin and the Steelers. Just thinking about that puts a huge smile on my face.

2. If Shedeur Sanders did turn into a franchise QB. Now I think this is a more likely outcome because he did play at a college that relied on him throwing the ball almost every down. Colorado did not have a running game, their offensive line was below average, and Sanders was a very accurate passer and produced in that situation. I am still skeptical because he is still only 6'1 and most QBs are taller than that and playing in the PAC 12 AND BIG Twelve is much different than playing in the SEC and BIG TEN. There were many rumors the Steelers were going to draft Sanders in the 1st round of the draft. So, if Sanders was to become a franchise QB again it would be a black eye on Tomlin and the Steelers.

3. If Flacco plays most of the season and plays well then, the Browns more than likely returned to 2023 level defense. Had a great run game and a competent QB and had decent success on the field.

4. I do not hold any hope for the other QB. So, if he was to surprise and turn into something then the Browns found lightning in a bottle. A very small bottle.

I'm watching this season to see how certain position groups do. I'm curious how our Oline can bounce back with the scheme change and stay healthy... and as an extension, curious about how our run game improves.

I'm always interested to see how our draftees and 2nd year guys look throughout the year.

I'm interested in seeing a significant improvement in Tillman/WR2. Jeudy was good last year but I want to see the beginnings of some depth at the position as we (hopefully) improve the QB spot.

I'm interested to see our defense continue to evolve and hopefully get a little more attitude. I'm always excited at the prospect of a dominant front. I hope our LB room is up to the task.

We definitely need some help at WR. Hopefully some of the young guys can step up or maybe we can pick up a vet or two when cuts start. I pretty much agree on our WB situation.

For me Flacco is going to take us to the playoffs this year if he stays healthy. None of our other QBs can come even close to his level of play right now. I'm wacco for Flacco! I want to see some good football THIS year. I don't have years to wait for the Browns to get better.

Sanders and Dillon are fighting for the back up role. People are obsessed with them being starters but that is just silly. Where we drafted them if they just become competent backup QBs they they are successful picks. Having good, reliable backup QBs is worth quite a lot. I imagine one stays and one gets traded.

IF either of these young QBs impresses then I can see us NOT taking a QB next year and have one start while the other is the backup. It's not terrible to have 2 young and competent QBs on the roster. Imagine picking up TWO first round wr in next years draft!!! Assuming that there will be some good ones worth taking.

If it was me, I would trade down from both first round picks to try and get ammo to move up in the 2027 draft when the young Manning is likely to declare for the draft. The QBs coming out in 26 seem to be better than the ones that come out this year but it's not like they are hugely better. I would be fine with just giving Sanders and Dillon the 2026 to fight it out. In the meantimes we need to draft some WR and O-line in the 26 draft.

I think a QB would have to really blow the doors off the wall for us to NOT aggressively go after a QB next year.

I am DREADING one or more of these QBs playing just well enough for us to pass on getting a top-tier thrower.

The problem is that rookies usually don't blow the doors off.

I don't disagree. The conundrum is I wouldn't want to draft a QB next year if we already have our QB on the roster. The problem is magnified because we have a young vet and two rookies who might be the guy but we won't give them enough opportunity to show it.

My hope is we don't give Joe a single snap this season. His playing serves no purpose. Yes, he might give us the best chance at winning, but with 3 other QB's on the roster who have something Joe doesn't offer, the ability to play another 10 years, we need to focus on those guys.

I'd be very happy if we don't have to use any 1st rounders on a QB in the next draft.

You and I are saying the same thing(s) about the rookies.

Me personally, I just hope that we can filter out the wheat from the chaff in our QB room sooner rather than later. The absolute WORST thing we can do going into next draft is have uncertainty at the QB position.

j/c

I still have no idea why so many keep talking about the possibility of Sanders becoming a franchise QB while ignoring to mention or consider Gabriel whom the Browns drafted 2 rounds earlier. There is only so much substance in a name.

Because Gabriel was the worst pick in the entire draft. He has 0 chance of ever amounting to anything except a backup QB roll. He is too small and does not possess an NFL caliber arm. The Cleveland area media members that have been to OTA's and mini camp have all said they do not see a future QB watching Gabriel. Those same media members say Sanders looks the part and the ball comes out of his hands like an NFL QB.

The fact Stefanski and Berry choose Gabriel in the 3rd round is enough evidence that is they have a bad season and 2026 will be the draft the Browns select their future franchise QB these 2 should not be making that pick. A good NFL QB they do not know.

So without so much of a down played in so much as preseason you have made that determination?.....................

Sanders didn't take any first-team reps in Wednesday's workout, which was noted by the Cleveland media. That isn't surprising at all. Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett are the veterans presumably at the top of the depth chart. Fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel was drafted in the third round, two rounds before Sanders. Sanders was the only quarterback to not take first-team reps, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. There are only so many practice snaps to go around, and that won't change by July and August. That's why Sanders has challenges ahead of him.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/articl...t-had-some-ota-highlights-204534569.html

So you have made this decision based on guys out there in shorts passing the ball around? Damn son! The FO needs to put you on the payroll!

I watch the Ultimate Cleveland sports show everyday with many insiders and the ones that attended OTA's, and minicamp says just watching Gabriel he does not look like an NFL QB. Zach Jackson of the Athletic who all summer last year said Watson was not looking good at OTA's, Mini camp, training camp etc... has stated this on multiple occasions. He sees Gabriel and says he does not see it. Says Sanders is interesting to him because he looks the part, and the ball comes off his hands like an NFL QB. I do trust what Zach Jackson says. He has been right on many occasions even when I was hoping he was wrong like last summer. These are not the National media that is watching from a mile away this is the Cleveland media that attend every session when the doors are open to them.

So once again, you think they can determine that based on throwing the ball around in short? No pressure, WR's barely defended in no pads? Before even the first padded practices or the first down of preseason has been played?

Trusting what sources say is one thing. Trusting what they say before they have enough evidence to make such a determination is quite another. So it's about how "the ball comes off his hands like an NFL QB"? Okay. And what does "Looks the part" actually mean anyway?

He is too small!!! He has no chance of success.

Key phrase int the sentence. "OTA's". You still don't get it do you?

He was on after the minicamp was open to the media and he still said nothing he saw changed his mind. Here is the thing both QB's will probably never be franchise QB's but a QB under 5"10 will never be a franchise QB. Sanders at least has a chance but he is still under sized also at 6'1. But he at least has potential. Gabriel will never make it. DTR 2.

If local Cleveland sports media is crapping on the guy, then that's probably the strongest indicator that he could BE THE GUY... until bullets start flying for real.

Seriously, Cleveland has the worst, overall, group of local sports reporting in the country. That's my opinion and there's little anyone can do to change it.


I, personally, was not a fan of the Gabriel pick. While I acknowledge that I'm not the most knowledgeable on the college landscape, if I haven't heard of a QB going into the draft then I'm not going to like picking him at a point in the draft where it's still possible to find starter-caliber talent at other positions.

That said, I'm rooting for him now that he's a Brown. I'm not getting my hopes up on him, but that's easy for me to say because I've already sorta written off the season. This last draft was about setting ourselves up to get our QB next offseason.

I don't understand what you see in Sanders. Dude got picked a full 2 rounds after Gabriel... wasn't just the Browns passing on him.

Regarding Gabriel's height, I googled Russell Wilson's & Gabriel height at draft times. They are nearly identical. Gabriel is one pound heavier, same height.

I know that doesn't necessarily correlate but just blowing his chances off because of his height doesn't either.

He mau never be a proven NFL backup, much less starter, but let it play out. Jamarcus Russell and many others had great size and athleticism.

Because for some reason he thinks some sports reporter knows more than the Browns scouting staff and front office does. That's exactly the same thing people were saying when most claimed Sanders would be a first round pick. Then after every GM in the NFL passed on him four times they had to come up with some BS conspiracy theory that the NFL conspired against him. The Song Remains the Same. We live in a world where facts no longer matter.