Browns insider shares "good news" for Shedeur Sanders amid four-way battle for starter role

Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is approaching his first NFL training camp, intending to reshape the narrative that followed him into the league.

Sanders was selected in the fifth round by Cleveland despite earlier projections placing him near the top of the draft. He enters a four-way competition for the Browns’ starting job.

Sanders was a well-known prospect because of his combination of arm talent and playmaking during his time at Colorado. However, there are still unanswered questions regarding his decision-making process, in addition to off-field issues. This includes two speeding infractions this summer that happened within weeks of one another.

Analyst Mary Kay Cabot's assessment brings optimism for Sanders' chances in Cleveland's quarterback competition. She highlighted Sanders' late-spring surge as evidence that he belongs in the starting conversation despite his fifth-round draft status.

Cabot published her evaluation on Wednesday, analyzing Sanders' trajectory heading into training camp.

"The good news for Sanders, the Browns' fifth-round pick out of Colorado, is that he performed so well over the final two weeks of spring ball that he'll come back for training camp with a legitimate shot to compete for the starting job, at least in the early going," Cabot wrote, via cleveland.com.

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Sanders faces competition from Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel in the battle for Cleveland's starting job.

He started offseason practices trailing Gabriel in pre-snap responsibilities and overall command of the offense. At times, Sanders worked in separate fields with reserve units to accelerate his learning curve. However, by the end of minicamp, he had narrowed the gap, positioning himself for more meaningful reps as training camp begins.

Coordinator praises Shedeur Sanders' commitment to mental preparation

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Despite Cleveland investing in veteran options and adding Dillon Gabriel in the third round, the coaching staff said that Shedeur Sanders is still in the running. He has been commended behind the scenes for his diligence during the offseason.

Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees recently credited Sanders’ diligence in studying Cleveland’s system and building comfort with NFL-level play-calling.

"He's worked his tail off." Rees said on Wednesday, via cleveland.com. "He's really put in a lot of work as all those guys are, but you could tell on the mental side of the game and learning the system and calling it and having that rhythm to it, he's put a lot of work and time and effort into that.

"And then when you do that, the game starts to slow down and you can focus on finding completions. And he's done a nice job of that as camp's progressed."

Sanders is also working to navigate issues in his pocket presence and decision-making under pressure. During his two seasons at Colorado, he was sacked more than any other quarterback in the Football Bowl Subdivision.