Shedeur Sanders has no doubts about himself. The Cleveland Browns' rookie backup quarterback told ESPN Cleveland that he could step on an NFL field today and outplay some of the starters currently getting snaps.
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"I know for sure, I know if you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I know I'm capable of doing better than that," Sanders said.
It's not exactly a timid statement from the third quarterback on Cleveland's depth chart. He sits behind Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel, with no clear path to playing time. But confidence has never been in short supply for Sanders, who played under his father Deion at Colorado and now finds himself learning behind veterans.
Sanders insists the opportunity isn't his to control. "I don't think playing or not playing is in my hands," he said. "If things happen, things pan out where I play, then I'll be out there and I'll be ready to play. I'm ready to play right now."
The issue is that the Browns don't see it that way. Flacco has struggled through three games, but the coaching staff has not shown any signs of elevating Sanders past Gabriel, let alone past Flacco. If Kevin Stefanski thought Sanders gave him the better chance to win, Sanders would already be on the field.
The reality is that talk is cheap in the NFL. Coaches and front offices hear plenty of young quarterbacks say they're ready. Some are right, most are not. Sanders might indeed be capable of outperforming some current starters. But until the Browns trust him to move up the depth chart, those words are just that — words.
For now, he'll have to wait, watch, and prove it when his chance finally comes.
