The Cleveland Browns made a change at quarterback on Wednesday. It didn't involve Shedeur Sanders.
Given these facts, one might believe Sanders wouldn't be included in the resulting conversation and/or discourse. Wrong. Sanders briefly met with reporters during Wednesday's locker room media session and chose to mouth his answers without speaking, drawing attention to the fifth-round pick on the same day the Browns officially made the switch from Joe Flacco to third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders had reason to play the role of mime on Wednesday: Six days earlier, he delivered an honest assessment of the current state of quarterback play across the NFL and how he believed it related to his status, telling reporters "I know if you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I know I'm capable of doing better than that." He also said he believed he was ready to play.
That level of unbridled confidence isn't at all surprising when it comes from the son of Deion Sanders. Shedeur Sanders has been the same confident quarterback since he rose into the spotlight at Jackson State and Colorado.
But the assured nature of such comments -- coming from a fifth-round pick listed third on the depth chart in the first month of Cleveland's season -- might expose the Browns to unnecessary attention. Coaches often detest it and call it a distraction.
When asked for an update on Sanders' development last Friday, Stefanski delivered a positive, but vague assessment.
"Yeah, he's doing a good job. I hope all of our guys feel like they're ready, Mary Kay (Cabot), and they're working very hard at it," Stefanski said. "We do a lot of work with our players, rookies, vets, all our guys, spending every available minute that we have with them, getting them ready physically, mentally, whether it's in the weight room, the meeting room, out on the field. So, all of our guys are working very hard."
One week after his comments drew attention, Sanders chose to remain mum when reporters approached him to ask questions regarding the Browns' quarterback situation and the importance of Flacco to the two rookie signal-callers. Alternatively, Sanders may have been able to redirect reporters to Flacco or Gabriel. Instead, he delivered what he appeared to believe was the best compromise.
Any time the Browns' quarterback situation is mentioned, Sanders' name is inevitably involved. It's been a constant focus of those following Cleveland since they opened camp in late July, and after a month of poor offensive showings, a change was necessary.
The spotlight will burn brightly on Gabriel as soon as he steps on the field Sunday in London against the Minnesota Vikings. Unless Gabriel lights it up, expect Sanders' name to remain in the conversation.
