Cleveland Browns common supervisor Andrew Berry sometimes doesn’t say a lot, however in terms of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, he certain appeared excited.
Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski met in particular person with Sanders forward of the Shrine Bowl over the weekend in Arlington, Texas.
Then, they omitted to Cell, Alabama for the Senior Bowl, the place Berry mentioned the assembly in just a little bit larger element.
“Shedeur is a very spectacular younger man,” Berry informed Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. “He’s poised, he’s calm, he’s good and you’ll inform that he’s been raised by—fairly truthfully—a Corridor of Fame dad. We’re going to get to know him much more over the course of the spring, however he’s actually spectacular.”
Berry by no means speaks this brazenly about anybody. He’s your typical, savvy GM who operates in silence, giving the media nearly nothing to look into.
So why gush about Sanders? There are a couple of causes.
It’s no shock to the remainder of the NFL that the Browns want a quarterback after making the worst commerce in NFL historical past for Deshaun Watson. Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are anticipated to be the highest quarterbacks chosen, and the Browns have the No. 2 total choice—placing them in a pristine place to draft the Colorado prodigy if he’s out there.
On the inverse, Berry may very well be placing on his greatest salesman outfit and dealing some reverse psychology. As a result of Watson catastrophe, the Browns haven’t had a first-round decide within the final three years. The roster has loads of holes, and the Browns might choose to commerce down a couple of spots, get extra draft capital and punt on the quarterback place till later within the draft or subsequent yr.
In late January, it solely advantages Berry to talk extremely of quarterback prospects. He needs the remainder of the NFL to consider that if Sanders is accessible at No. 2 total, he will probably be chosen by the Browns. That may entice different QB-needy groups just like the New York Jets, New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders to commerce into No. 2 total, forking a few of their draft capital over to Cleveland within the course of.
Berry additionally stomped out hypothesis that the Browns could be influenced by the desires of Shedeur’s father, Deion Sanders, who has mentioned publicly that he would affect the place his son and Heisman trophy winner Travis Hunter would play within the NFL. The Browns mentioned they’re “assured” that Sanders could be tremendous enjoying for the Browns.
That ought to point out that Sanders to Cleveland is an actual risk if the Browns maintain onto the No. 2 total choice.
Possibly Berry loves Sanders. If he does, the one group that might spoil his plans is the Tennessee Titans, who’ve the No. 1 total decide and likewise want a quarterback. They met with Sanders on the Shrine Bowl as properly.
After a dreadful 3-14 season, maybe Berry lastly feels the strain from possession to search out his personal franchise QB rapidly, and we’re watching the Browns discuss themselves into Sanders in actual time. Watson had a setback along with his Achilles damage and mercifully will not play in 2025, Jameis Winston is a free agent and the Browns haven’t got a transparent choice to start out the season at QB.
However possibly that is all one large, calculated bluff to promote the draft decide to the best bidder.
It’s nonetheless January. We’re tremendously early on this course of. Berry himself said that they may get to know Sanders as the method unfolds all through the spring. Solely time will inform, however Berry’s feedback certain are attention-grabbing.
