The Cleveland Browns have finally made it official, announcing that Shedeur Sanders is moving up.
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Coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday that Sanders will indeed serve as the team's backup quarterback behind fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. The move confirms what most expected after Joe Flacco was traded to Cincinnati earlier in the week, though Stefanski initially left open the possibility that veteran Bailey Zappe could be elevated from the practice squad instead.
Zappe has the experience, but Sanders has the upside. And now, he's officially one play away from his NFL debut.
The promotion comes on the heels of Sanders' first public comments since the Flacco trade, when he spoke to Fox 8 Cleveland about learning from the veteran quarterback and processing his sudden departure.
"He was definitely somebody I leaned on for wisdom, and I feel he helped me a lot," Sanders said. "Everybody has their own destinies and their own plans ... I'm just happy for him."
Sanders even admitted the news caught him off guard. "I told him, 'Dang, that happened quick,'" he said with a laugh. "That was crazy."
The Browns drafted Sanders in the fifth round last April after his highly publicized fall down the draft board. While the team has prioritized Gabriel's development since naming him the starter, Stefanski has hinted at a long-term plan to get Sanders meaningful snaps once the situation is right.
Now, circumstances might force the issue. If anything happens to Gabriel, Sanders will be next in line.
And given the attention that still follows the rookie from Colorado, his first NFL appearance would instantly become one of the most-watched moments of Cleveland's season.
