Browns QB Shedeur Sanders embracing pressure of first NFL training camp

Rookie sits down with Cleveland legend Bernie Kosar to discuss how things are going as Sanders transitions to the NFL.

The Cleveland Browns have had a horrible time of it when it comes to finding a quarterback over the past 25 years.

It appeared for a brief moment that the decades-long search had concluded in 2018 when the team selected Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall selection in that year’s NFL Draft. But that came to a bad end after Mayfield suffered a shoulder injury in 2021, which ultimately led the Browns to trade him to the Carolina Panthers, and then they took a “big swing-and-miss” by trading for Deshaun Watson.

Four years later, Mayfield is stacking division titles with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Browns are back in the quarterback market with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders all vying for a roster spot this summer.

Sanders recently sat down with Browns legend Bernie Kosar, the last Cleveland quarterback to have sustained success with the team, for a chat about quarterback mechanics, life as an NFL rookie, and Sanders’ approach to football.

A few highlights include:

• Sanders emphasized taking each day of training camp as it comes and focusing on consistent improvement. He said he approaches every situation with calm and confidence, describing pressure as something he embraces and is comfortable dealing with.
• When asked about his composure in the pocket, Sanders attributed it to his comfort with pressure and a mindset shaped by life’s challenges. He said being under pressure feels “normal and helps him stay focused.
• Sanders said he enjoys reading blitz coverage, noting that he focuses on speeding up his decision-making and getting the ball out quickly.
• While acknowledging he’s not getting as many reps as he’s used to, Sanders is keeping a positive outlook, views each day as the next part of the journey, and focuses on doing his part the right way.
• Sanders received a lot of criticism before the draft, but said he values remaining true to himself and being genuine on and off the field. He doesn’t feel the need to “fake” anything and sees giving back to his teammates and the community as a natural part of who he is.

This was by no means an in-depth interview, but it still provided a nice moment for Sanders to discuss how things have been going so far as the Browns enter a busy week that includes a joint practice with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday, and the two teams opening their preseason schedule on Friday night in Charlotte.