The Shedeur Sanders show will be put on hold when the Cleveland Browns take the field for Saturday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Thursday that Sanders is expected to miss time with an oblique strain and likely won’t participate in the game. That means Dillon Gabriel is in line to start if his hamstring injury cooperates.
Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett will also be sidelined, meaning Gabriel and Tyler Huntley are the only available quarterbacks.
“He felt it early I think warming up and then felt it throughout individuals and we took a look at it,” Stefanski said of Sanders. “If it’s a right guard, you can play through that. When it’s a quarterback, you kind of need that muscle to throw. So unfortunately we’re going to put him down for a little bit here. We will treat it day to day and see how he responds. But want to be smart? He’s a thrower so you can’t push that thing.”
Cleveland turned some heads during the NFL draft when it selected Gabriel in the third round and then Sanders two rounds later in the fifth.
It seemed somewhat redundant to take two quarterbacks in the middle rounds, although Sanders in particular represented an opportunity to land some value since he was seen by many as a first-round pick going into the draft.
As it turns out, the Browns have needed additional quarterbacks in what was seen as a four-man race going into training camp because of the injury concerns. Huntley was a late addition but ended up playing in the first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers after Sanders exited.
The timing of this setback is difficult for Sanders, who will not have the opportunity to build on the momentum he created during that game against Carolina.
He went 14-of-23 passing for 138 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions while adding 19 yards on the ground in an impressive and complete performance. He didn’t look the part of a fifth-round pick who was in over his head and instead looked like someone who would be a factor in the battle to become the starter.
Another similar performance against the defending champion Eagles could have helped him move up on the depth chart. Yet it will be Gabriel with that chance after he missed the first preseason contest because of his hamstring injury.
The pressure will be on the Oregon product to respond to Sanders’ performance with a solid one of his own as they battle for spots alongside Flacco and Pickett.