Quarterback Shedur Saunders Continues to Impress in Practice

For Shedur Saunders, it seems like all those hours on the practice field are starting to pay off.

The Browns’ backup quarterback has caught the attention of coaches, receiving commendations for his noticeable progress while eagerly awaiting his NFL debut, as highlighted by Mark Kay Cabot from Cleveland.com.

Currently, Saunders sits as the No. 2 quarterback behind rookie Dillon Gabriel, who has been, well, somewhat average in his three games so far.

“In fact, Shedur Saunders is making strides,” Cabot mentioned on Tuesday’s “Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.” “He looks sharp. I’ve pointed out before, if you had him and Dillon Gabriel side by side in a 7-on-7 drill, I think Shedur would come out on top most of the time. Or in a pocket drill where they aim for specific targets, Shedur would probably excel.”

“Still, there are a lot of other things he needs to get a handle on. He has to learn to protect himself, read plays, call the right plays, manage player movement, all that stuff. It’s a steep learning curve, but he’s adapting really well. The feedback I’m hearing from inside the team is overwhelmingly positive about Shedur’s progress. However, I think they still want to let Dillon have his time to shine. He needs to rack up some touchdowns, but for now, it seems like things will stay as they are.”

It’s important to note that Saunders has impressed his coaches during practice, which could play a significant role in his chances to step in for Gabriel this season.

From the start, Saunders has been second in line to Gabriel; this dates back to the draft when the Browns picked Gabriel in the third round and Saunders a couple of rounds later.

Initially, Gabriel backed Joe Flacco, with Saunders positioned as third-string, but after the Browns traded Flacco to the Bengals, the path to playing time began to clear for Saunders.

The report suggests that the NFL Hall of Famer and son of Colorado’s coach Deion Sanders is not squandering his opportunity, proving to coaches that he deserves a shot.

Gabriel hasn’t exactly blown anyone away since taking over for Flacco; it might be time for the Browns to explore other options.

So far, Gabriel completed 61 of 103 passes (about 59.2 percent) for 527 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions across his first three games.

Even if the Browns don’t make the playoffs and Saunders keeps impressing in practice, it seems reasonable to think he might get a chance to start as the season progresses.

Cabot remarked that while Saunders possesses physical qualities that might make him the more capable quarterback, he still needs to improve on the mental side, like calling plays, reading defenses, and being vocal.

Despite the positive buzz around him, Cabot does not foresee Saunders entering the competition imminently.

“The team isn’t likely to move on from Gabriel just yet,” Cabot stated. “If they start throwing Shedur into the mix, even for brief appearances, it could lead to complications.”