Failure Awaits Kevin Stefanski as Shedeur Sanders Refuses to Leave Training Camp, Says Browns Insider

As the Cleveland Browns owner sat down in Berea on Tuesday, Jimmy Haslam knew his goal: Clear all fan doubts. Of course, picking up Shedeur Sanders as the 144th overall, but Dillon Gabriel as the 94th pick had to do a lot with it. So, Haslam clarified, “Andrew [Berry] made the call to pick Shedeur, just like who’s gonna start or what play we’re gonna call is HC Kevin Stefanski’s call.” And in an instant, he had his hands cleaned. But the one narrative that was on everyone’s radar at the presser was that Haslam is known to influence picks.

The former HC Eric Mangini certainly pushed it forward after the spring’s draft. In April, he claimed, “I think the owner said, ‘In the fifth round, we’re gonna draft this guy.’ How’d that work out for Johnny Manziel when the owner said ‘do that’?” The story was similar: Multiple teams passed on the mercurial college QB Manziel.

The Browns finally picked him at 22nd overall, only to see him fail in Berea. But that’s not Shedeur Sanders.

The rookie is already making noise in the QB room. Cleveland’s support is already with the former Colorado Buffaloes star. But the process Haslam talked about is still scrutinized by many, including the hosts of 92.3 The Fan, Anthony Lima and Ken Carman. Lima wasn’t buying it as he said in the latest clip, “My issue has all along been process. So, Jimmy is touting their very solid processes that led them to taking Dillon Gabriel and then two rounds later, Shedeur, knowing that… Look, the fan sentiment is going to be in Shedeur’s corner.

“In all this discussion, people are like, ‘Why are you singling out Shedeur?’ ‘Why are you analyzing or over-analyzing Shedeur?’ Like, I don’t care about the others. I don’t care about Kenny Pickett, I don’t care about these other quarterbacks. I certainly don’t care about Dillon Gabriel. I think that was a waste of pick. And then, two rounds later… To me, they’ve set up this whole quarterback room for most likely failure. It’s going to be harder for one to emerge unless they get a rash of injuries. And what do you know? They’ve got an injury already that I think will only help them make a very good decision.

“I almost think that their back-a– process could lead them into the right direction eventually. I don’t know what that is. I do know, Shedeur had some great days and then yesterday had a very bad day from the people who were really analyzing… The guys weren’t even wearing pads yesterday. So, all I’m saying is, man, if their ‘really good process’ led them to taking a quarterback in the third round and then the fifth round, I still have to really question what process you have in place that would lead to that.”

What the Browns actually built looks more like a quarterback trap than a competition. Right now, the QBs are not just trying to clench the first position but also their spot on the final roster. Already, many fans’ first choice over veteran Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, has picked up a hamstring strain, a reality nobody wanted this early.

That’s the future waiting for Kevin Stefanski – walking into every press conference with four quarterbacks and no direction with a split fan base before pads are even fully on. Right now, his future looks a lot like another Browns re-run of talented players jammed into a process no one trusts.

Top Comment by Bill

No. He will be a distraction. He will not be a team player. It will always be...more

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Shedeur Sanders won’t leave the field (and the spotlight)

Through the minicamp, the rookie camp, and the OTAs, the rookie refuses to leave the field. Literally. After a practice in Berea, when cleats were already off and most quarterbacks were halfway to their cars, Sanders was still throwing passes. As insider Brad Stainbrook put it, “Practice ended about 10 minutes ago. #Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders still out here.”

This isn’t some one-off moment either. Back in June’s minicamp, he stayed 20 extra minutes, sharpening his mechanics. He even told his father, Deion Sanders, not to visit training camp so that he could solely focus on his training and “be where I need to be.” The ‘proving’ is a lot bigger. So, no distractions allowed. On the field, that work is showing.

He threw for three touchdowns on Saturday, July 26. Followed it up with a perfect 9-for-9 day in padded practice. And even had Diontae Johnson grinning after a threaded red-zone strike. The ‘fifth-round flier’ is starting to look like a quarterback Stefanski can’t afford to ignore.

And yet, that’s the trap again. Every extra rep Sanders takes, every highlight clip that circulates online, is another reminder of just how shaky Stefanski’s future really is. Because no matter how hard the head coach tries to play it safe, the rookie won’t leave the stage. Failure awaits Stefanski if he can’t turn this quarterback circus into something coherent. And right now, Shedeur Sanders is making sure the tent stays open.