Cleveland Browns basic supervisor Andrew Berry usually doesn’t say a lot, however in the case of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, he certain appeared excited.
Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski met in individual with Sanders forward of the Shrine Bowl over the weekend in Arlington, Texas.
Then, they ignored to Cell, Alabama for the Senior Bowl, the place Berry mentioned the assembly in a bit bit higher element.
“Shedeur is a extremely spectacular younger man,” Berry advised Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. “He’s poised, he’s calm, he’s good and you’ll inform that he’s been raised by—fairly truthfully—a Corridor of Fame dad. We’re going to get to know him much more over the course of the spring, however he’s actually spectacular.”
Berry by no means speaks this brazenly about anybody. He’s your typical, savvy GM who operates in silence, giving the media virtually nothing to look into.
So why gush about Sanders? There are just a few causes.
It’s no shock to the remainder of the NFL that the Browns want a quarterback after making the worst commerce in NFL historical past for Deshaun Watson. Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are anticipated to be the highest quarterbacks chosen, and the Browns have the No. 2 total choice—placing them in a pristine place to draft the Colorado prodigy if he’s obtainable.
On the inverse, Berry may very well be placing on his greatest salesman outfit and dealing some reverse psychology. As a result of Watson catastrophe, the Browns haven’t had a first-round decide within the final three years. The roster has loads of holes, and the Browns might decide to commerce down just a few spots, get extra draft capital and punt on the quarterback place till later within the draft or subsequent 12 months.
In late January, it solely advantages Berry to talk extremely of quarterback prospects. He needs the remainder of the NFL to imagine that if Sanders is accessible at No. 2 total, he can be chosen by the Browns. That may entice different QB-needy groups just like the New York Jets, New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders to commerce into No. 2 total, forking a few of their draft capital over to Cleveland within the course of.
Berry additionally stomped out hypothesis that the Browns could be influenced by the desires of Shedeur’s father, Deion Sanders, who has stated publicly that he would affect the place his son and Heisman trophy winner Travis Hunter would play within the NFL. The Browns stated they’re “assured” that Sanders could be nice taking part in for the Browns.
That ought to point out that Sanders to Cleveland is an actual risk if the Browns maintain onto the No. 2 total choice.
Possibly Berry loves Sanders. If he does, the one staff that would spoil his plans is the Tennessee Titans, who’ve the No. 1 total decide and in addition want a quarterback. They met with Sanders on the Shrine Bowl as properly.
After a dreadful 3-14 season, maybe Berry lastly feels the strain from possession to search out his personal franchise QB rapidly, and we’re watching the Browns discuss themselves into Sanders in actual time. Watson had a setback along with his Achilles harm and mercifully will not play in 2025, Jameis Winston is a free agent and the Browns do not have a transparent possibility to begin the season at QB.
However perhaps that is all one huge, calculated bluff to promote the draft decide to the very best bidder.
It’s nonetheless January. We’re tremendously early on this course of. Berry himself said that they’ll get to know Sanders as the method unfolds all through the spring. Solely time will inform, however Berry’s feedback certain are attention-grabbing.
