Cleveland Browns Had to See This Media Firestorm Coming, Right?
When the Cleveland Browns traded up to select Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL Draft this past April, they had to have known what they were getting into.
After all, the Browns had already taken fellow quarterback Dillon Gabriel just two rounds earlier, even though Sanders was widely regarded by fans and pundits as the superior prospect. The NFL teams didn’t all agree on Sanders, but it wasn’t necessarily about his talent—this media frenzy is likely the real reason for the hesitance.
As things stand, Sanders is clearly fourth on the Browns’ quarterback depth chart. Joe Flacco is the starter, Kenny Pickett appears to be the No. 2, and Gabriel is clearly being prioritized over Sanders—for now, anyway. For some reason, it seems the Browns are determined to keep four quarterbacks, but why? That’s a question for general manager Andrew Berry and the front office.
During the Browns’ final preseason game—a 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Rams—head coach Kevin Stefanski pulled Sanders, who had gone 3-for-16 for 14 yards in relief of Flacco and Gabriel, in favor of Tyler Huntley for the final drive.
Naturally, social media exploded, with Skip Bayless launching into a nearly 17-minute rant, urging Sanders to leave Cleveland (as if he had much of a choice being a fifth-round pick).
Cleveland Had to Expect This Response
In hindsight, the outrage was probably justified. Huntley isn’t making the roster, while Sanders could have a chance to eventually become the franchise quarterback. But why is everyone treating a Day 3 pick like a No. 1 overall selection? 
The Browns surely knew this was coming when they drafted Sanders. They were well aware of the media attention he would generate. How they respond to this situation remains to be seen, but so far, they don’t seem overly concerned with the outside noise.
Was it a mistake for Cleveland to draft two quarterbacks? Probably. They should have either passed on Gabriel or not drafted Sanders. Given that they clearly liked Gabriel, it seems they should’ve focused solely on him.
After a 3-14 season, the last thing the Browns needed was a media circus, but that’s exactly what they’ve got now. The old saying goes that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but this is definitely an exception. This situation is far from ideal for Cleveland.
Still, the Browns had to anticipate this media storm, and if they didn’t, they should’ve. Sanders’ brand is strong, and pulling him for a journeyman like Huntley was always going to create backlash. Heck, even pulling Gabriel for Huntley would have raised eyebrows, but pulling Sanders? That was never going to fly.
As the season progresses, it’ll be interesting to see how Cleveland manages this quarterback situation. If they do decide to keep all four quarterbacks, it’s going to lead to a messy situation—one that media figures like Bayless will be quick to pounce on.
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