Shedeur Sanders is still waiting for his debut in the NFL. The Cleveland Browns picked Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 draft, but he is yet to see the gridiron in a regular-season game.
Many fans are requesting coach Kevin Stefanski to give Sanders an opportunity, but former NFL MVP Cam Newton is pushing back on such requests. While speaking on the 4th&1 Podcast, Newton said:
"If the untrained eye is expecting the Cleveland Browns to put Shedeur Sanders in that quarterback position with what he has at his disposal, you'll be a fool to think that he's going to do anything different than Dillon Gabriel. If you are a fan of Shedeur Sanders, you wouldn't even want him to be in that type of situation. They're not losing because of Dillon. They lose it because they don't have enough receivers that can beat their man-to-man matchups.'
Newton added:
"A quarterback's best friend is a stout offensive line, a good running game, and an opportunistic defense. He doesn't have all three, and you need all three to assist a young quarterback.'
The former Carolina Panthers concluded, saying:
"If you're seeing this message, bro, and you're a real football fan, you know Dillon Gabriel is playing what you would expect a rookie to play like. If you think by throwing Shedeur Sanders in there, and he's gonna make a difference, let's just call a spade a spade. Would I want to see Shedeur Sanders play? Hell yes. But I also know the realism of expecting something different with the same circumstances."
Newton thinks that any young guy would struggle to perform well in the current Cleveland Browns side. He noted the lack of reliable targets, the offensive line, and the uncertainty of the scheme.
Newton admitted to wanting to see Shedeur Sanders play. But he is not sure of the promising QB's ability to excel in a system currently headed for yet another high pick in the first round of the NFL draft.
Shedeur Sanders stays QB2 on Browns' depth chart
Shedeur Sanders will be sitting on the bench for his side's Week 11 clash against the Baltimore Ravens. Dillon Gabriel continues to play as the side's starting quarterback ahead of one of their difficult starts on the season so far.
As per Yahoo Sports, when questioned, Kevin Stefanski said nothing has changed about Shedeur Sanders' practice reps. The 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner is not getting snaps with the starting unit as a backup quarterback.
Stefanski hailed Sanders' work ethic, with the regular season officially past the halfway stage. The Browns will have their work cut against the in-form Baltimore Ravens.
After today's game, The Browns have seven games remaining to salvage what has been a tough season. There is a possibility that Sanders could feature in a few games in his rookie season. However, he and his teammates must navigate a daunting Ravens test in Week 11.