Dawgs By Nature
In sports, in general, in 2025, there is no room for nuance. We know there is here at DBN in our comment section and in The Feed, but the general sports world speaks in certainties that really don’t exist and cliché sayings (both old and new) that lack detail.
During the Cleveland Browns’ Week 16 game against the Buffalo Bills, I was reminded of a few of those certainties and clichés. For example, many have buried QB Shedeur Sanders as having no chance of being a top-level starter in the NFL, while others have looked at the exact same performances and seen enough to know for sure the Browns should build around their fifth-round quarterback.
The cliche “if it hits your hands, you should catch it” came up after Sanders’ first interception. In my analysis, Sanders’ throw was behind and thrown too hard for RB Quinshon Judkins to be able to haul it in easily. A great receiver may have been able to make the catch, but assuming Cleveland’s running back should have caught it was too far for what I saw. For others:
For what it is worth, Michael Keefe is a friend of mine who understands football and has an amazing sports voice (literal voice); we just disagree here. I’ll forever argue in the nuance, especially when most others are only arguing on the extremes and in clichés.
Which brings us back to Sanders’ future:
Yes, Clay (another sports friend of mine), both can be true.
Jason Lloyd of The Athletic pointed out what the raw data has told us about both Dillon Gabriel and Sanders:
Gabriel has a higher Expected Points Added per dropback than Sanders — although that isn’t really saying much since Gabriel and Sanders have the two lowest figures in the league this season. Sanders has thrown for more yards and is averaging more yards per attempt, but Gabriel has a higher completion percentage, a higher passer rating and a higher touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The big difference, as you turn to the film that has led to that data, is that Sanders’ play looks like a rookie quarterback who is making big mistakes, but is also growing and developing. Whether it is the deep throws to Isaiah Bond, the feathered throws to Harold Fannin Jr., the successful scrambles at key moments, or his improved (still shaky) pocket presence, Sanders has shown that he could develop into a starter in the NFL…
… but the Browns are going to have a top pick in the 2026 NFL draft to select a quarterback, Dante Moore or Fernando Mendoza, that they’ll likely have a much higher prospect grade on.
Yes, Clay, it is both.
If Cleveland doesn’t have a high grade on Moore, Mendoza, or another quarterback, they would look to build around Sanders, even if they trade down to hedge their bets for a QB in the 2027 NFL draft. If the Browns didn’t have a pick where they could select one of the top quarterbacks...
