I’m nervous.
Not because I think Shedeur Sanders will fail or look awful or his careee will be over after tonight. I’m nervous because I know this is literally the best opportunity Shedeur could’ve asked for with this Cleveland Browns team.
Clearly the coaching staff would not have had him start this game if Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel were healthy. And he absolutely would not have gotten the number of reps that he will get tonight. And that’s their right. Shedeur was the 4th out of 4 quarterbacks that the Browns acquired this off-season. So it does make sense that he’s still #4 on the depth chart, even if I think he’s the most talented quarterback in the room.
I’m nervous because I know if this doesn’t go well, the odds are he will not overtake Dillon Gabriel on the depth chart anytime soon. There’s a possibility he won’t no matter how great he plays, but then that’s something that’s not in his control.
Before every single Colorado football game, I got a little nervous because there was always a little uncertainty with how things were going to go. The range of outcomes were so vast. And I have that same feeling about him starting tonight. I believe in his talent, but he’s not perfect, he will probably make some mistakes. As long as those mistakes aren’t terrible turnovers or sacks, I can live with that. But there is certainly a world where he holds the ball too long and gets strip sacked and it goes for 6 the other way. And if that happens, I’ll have to watch everyone on twitter confirm their prior opinions and take their victory lap.
I have no idea what to expect. Especially since Shedeur has barely gotten reps against the first team defense, there’s no reference point to how he will perform tonight.
But I do know one thing. The lights will be the brightest they have been for a preseason game maybe in my lifetime. But that will not stop Shedeur. If he struggles it will be because of something physical. I know mentally he will be ready for this moment. The lights have been bright for him literally his entire life, so tonight is just another night playing football.
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