Shedeur Sanders’ decision during the NFL draft looks even more silly after Ravens defeat Browns in Week 2
The Cleveland Browns are now 0-2 on the season after falling to the Baltimore Ravens 20-3 in Week 2, marking their second straight AFC North loss following last week’s defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. Cleveland struggled mightily on offense against the Ravens, managing only a field goal in the first half and trailing 10-3 at […]
The Cleveland Browns are now 0-2 on the season after falling to the Baltimore Ravens 20-3 in Week 2, marking their second straight AFC North loss following last week’s defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. Cleveland struggled mightily on offense against the Ravens, managing only a field goal in the first half and trailing 10-3 at the break.
Things went downhill in a big way after halftime, as Cleveland ended up falling to the Ravens 41-17. With one of the league’s toughest early-season schedules, the Browns now find themselves in an early 0-2 hole.
Joe Flacco once again got the start for Cleveland, but the offense was too inconsistent to sustain scoring drives against Baltimore. The Browns’ offensive line also had its issues; it was notable that Jack Conklin was out while facing a physical Ravens front. Prior to kickoff, an intriguing report surfaced about a Browns rookie who nearly ended up on the other sideline.
Shedeur Sanders was nearly a Raven
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Ravens planned to draft Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round at pick No. 141. However, Sanders reportedly declined the opportunity, concerned that with Lamar Jackson entrenched as the starter, there would be no realistic path to the field anytime soon. Instead, he slid to Cleveland, where he sits as the No. 3 quarterback behind Flacco and Dillon Gabriel.
After unexpectedly falling to the fifth round, Sanders’ decision is even more fascinating. In Baltimore, he might have slotted in as the No. 2 behind Jackson, a higher role than he holds in Cleveland. For now, the Browns are more likely to give Gabriel opportunities before turning to Sanders, and there is no guarantee the rookie will see a start this season unless the team’s plans drastically change.
Sanders flashed in his preseason debut with two touchdown passes against the Carolina Panthers, but struggled noticeably in his third preseason outing. He still has a long way to go in learning to process NFL defenses. Ironically, backing up Jackson — one of the league’s best quarterbacks — might have offered a stronger developmental path than his role in Cleveland.
The Browns now return home at 0-2 to face a tough Green Bay Packers team. With three straight games against NFC North opponents looming, Cleveland’s offense will need to find answers quickly. As for Sanders, the rookie’s decision not to join Baltimore may already be costing him — his team might be sitting at 1-1 had things gone differently on draft day.
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Cleveland Browns had one of their own players poached by another NFL team as they begin to prepare for the Ravens
The Cleveland Browns’ offensive line had a solid performance overall in the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals for the most part. Cleveland did have to dip into its depth early when RT Jack Conklin exited after just 20 plays due to an eye injury. LT Dawand Jones may have had the roughest outing, but […]
