Shedeur Sanders was held out of Cleveland Browns training camp on Saturday due to arm soreness, fueling speculation that a trade involving the former Colorado star could be imminent.
Sanders started throwing on Day 9 of training camp in individual drills but reported soreness in his arm, per cleveland.com. He sat out of team drills and the Browns have yet to provide an update on his status.
“The fact that he self-reported the soreness is significant, because he’s still involved in the four-way competition for the starting job, and wouldn’t miss a snap unless he absolutely had to,” Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said.
The Browns are heading into a big week, which will feature joint practices with the Carolina Panthers and a preseason game against them on August 8.
While the Sanders issue seems pretty straightforward, former NFL quarterback
Kurt Benkert thinks it signals a trade could be on the way.
“This is what they do before a trade,” Benkert wrote on X.
Many agreed with the take.
“This is one of those tweets that Kurt is going to be quote-tweeting after the trade happens,” one fan said.
“Sanders to the Saints? Would be a blessing in disguise for him,” another added.
Others with a little more context on the situation pushed back.
“The shoulder soreness was self-reported by Shedeur though. So he reported shoulder soreness so the Browns can trade him?” a fan said.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Still Ahead of Shedeur Sanders
Sanders has performed well when his number has been called in training camp but has functioned primarily as the team’s No. 4 quarterback. That puts him behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett — who recently returned from injury on a limited basis — and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round, which many saw as a reach. While he was a record-setting college passer, his 5-foot-11 frame isn’t typical for a franchise quarterback.
Gabriel has struggled at times, especially recently, with more reps on his plate. But he’s still holding the edge of Sanders, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
“I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but it’s reality — Dillon Gabriel is ahead of Shedeur Sanders right now, and has been since both arrived in Cleveland. Sanders has worked to catch up, but he’s got a lot of ground to make up,” Breer said.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Taking Lack of Reps in Stride
Sanders tumbled from a projected early first-round pick to a fifth-round selection, but the rookie has handled the slide with poise. He knew breaking into the rotation with the Browns would be a challenge and has approached it with a steady mindset.
While he’s worked almost exclusively with the backups during training camp, Sanders is doing everything he can to make the most of his reps.
“I would say just have a deeper level of understanding, because I know whenever I get my opportunity, I got to maximize it,” Sanders said last week. “So that’s something you have to change in the mentality standpoint, and a mental standpoint. I just got to think about what I could do to get better. Even if I’m not getting reps, it’s no problem.”
Both Sanders and fellow Gabriel are expected to see extended action in the Browns’ first preseason game. Flacco, 40, is a known commodity, and Pickett is returning from injury.
That opens the door for Sanders to showcase his talent for the first time on an NFL field. It’s a chance to climb the depth chart or, as Benkert suggested, catch the eye of another team in need of a quarterback.
