Shedeur Sanders unfazed by lack of first-team reps at Browns camp
Sanders – selected by the Browns in the fifth round after a precipitous fall in April's draft – did get some work with the second team for the first time on Friday. He had one of the best throws of the 80-minute practice on a completion down the middle to tight end Blake Whiteheart during 11-on-11 drills. Sanders showed he could bounce back after a bad day of practice. He was unable to throw a pass during a four-play red zone drill on Thursday after snap issues on two plays, a false start, and what would have been a sack. 'I know whenever I get my opportunity, I've got to maximize it,' he said. 'I just got to think about what I could do to get better, even if I'm not getting reps.'
Coach Kevin Stefanski didn't say if Sanders would receive any first-team snaps. Stefanski did note, though, that he has been happy with Sanders' progress over the past couple of months. 'Yeah, I think Shedeur does a nice job of keeping the main thing the main thing. He's working hard and keeping his head down,' Stefanski said.
There have been 13 sets of 11-on-11 drills during the first three days. Joe Flacco has had the most work with the first team with seven, Kenny Pickett has had five, and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel one. Flacco and Pickett are the two main combatants in the four-man competition to see who will be the starter for the Sept. 7 opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. All four are getting plenty of snaps on the two practice fields, but there is a difference in who they are working with.
Sanders said the one advantage of not getting many snaps is that he has had the opportunity to learn more in-depth about everything instead of on the fly, like he did at Jackson State and Colorado, where his father, Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, instantly made him the starter. Shedeur Sanders added that the area where he has made the most improvement is being more comfortable with the playbook. 'It's always consistent growth, and it always feels like I just solved a puzzle or anything, like all the time,' he said.
Quarterback coach Bill Musgrave – who was Deion Sanders' teammate during San Francisco's Super Bowl-winning season in 1994 – has been impressed with Sanders' ability to call the play in the huddle, as well as calling plays under center. He also added he has seen the same progress from Gabriel, a third-round pick. When it comes to the outside pressures Sanders might face – including heightened expectations from fans – Musgrave said that everyone has pressure, but the approach has to remain the same. 'The focus has got to be on the techniques, the five-step drop, the seven-step drop, being accurate with our throws,' Musgrave said. 'If we can focus on our trade, the external factors take a back seat, which is where they should remain.'
While some may waver from the expectations, Sanders has embraced them. He has made a couple of appearances in the Cleveland area, including hosting a community event to benefit residents displaced after an apartment complex fire. He also accepted responsibility for two speeding tickets last month. However, things that are happening off the field are the last thing on Sanders' mind over the next five weeks. 'The external is cool. I'm thankful for it,' he said. 'But hey, when I get out there, I'm not thinking about external. I'm thinking about more in the organization, thinking about getting the play calls, executing my job, and doing what I've got to do.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
12 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Shaq has been refurbishing basketball courts for 30 years, knows first hand how they can help kids
Shaquille O'Neal knows exactly how much refurbishing a basketball court can mean to a community and the kids who play on it. He learned first-hand from his former Boston Celtics teammate Marquis Daniels. He was a teenager three decades ago when O'Neal was playing with the Orlando Magic and rebuilt a court in the inner city area where Daniels was growing up. 'It was big. He was somebody growing up that I looked up to; he was the tallest person I had ever seen,' Daniels told The AP. 'He was playing with my home team the Orlando Magic and giving back to the community and showing his appreciation. For kids like me to have a court in the inner city was huge.' Years later, when they were teammates in Boston, Daniels reminded the Hall of Famer that he had been at that court dedication and how it helped change his life. After a 10-year career in the NBA, Daniels has been working as a coach at his alma mater Auburn since 2018. O'Neal recalled Daniels telling him the story. 'He said, 'You don't remember me?'' O'Neal said while in Rockwell, Texas, to refurbish another court near his new home. 'I said no, and he said, 'Well, I was one of the kids that grew up in Orlando and you fixed up a court. Because you fixed it up, I'm here.'' For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Refurbishing courts is commonplace around the NBA and WNBA. The Indiana Fever unveiled a new Legacy Court at a local park in Indianapolis during All-Star weekend, and the league has an initiative this year to put down orange lines across the country to inspire young players with a WNBA 3-point arc on outdoor courts. The renovated court at Gloria Williams park is now part of a collection of Comebaq Courts, a joint venture by Icy Hot and the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation to build well-equipped and safe courts for kids across the country. 'They found this court that hasn't been refurbished in a while and that's historical with the city,' O'Neal said. Renovating one in Rockwall was actually the idea of Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale. 'She's played her entire career in Dallas and wanted to do something for the community.' 'This is like my second home. I've been here my whole career, so this initiative with Icy Hot and Shaq was a no-brainer,' she said. 'Just to give back to the youth that pours into us and my teammates every night is special.' It's special to O'Neal also, as he plans to spend a lot of his time in the Texas city. 'I'll get on my little scooter or motorcycle and just ride by and see what's going on with the kids,' he said. 'I work in Atlanta, but it's only an hour flight and I'm sure at some point this will be my permanent home.' O'Neal, who is the president of Reebok Basketball, also donated basketball shoes to all the members of the Boys & Girls Club kids who were at the event.
Al Arabiya
6 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Dwight Muhammad Qawi, boxer who went from prison to champion, dies at 72
Dwight Muhammad Qawi, the Hall of Fame fighter who took up boxing in prison and became a two-weight world champion, has died. He was 72. Qawi's sister, Wanda King, said he died Friday following a five-year battle with dementia. Born Dwight Braxton in Baltimore, Qawi grew up in Camden. He competed in the boxing program at Rahway State Prison while serving a sentence for armed robbery and turned professional at age 25 soon after his release in 1978. In December 1981, Qawi—who legally changed his name in 1982 following his conversion to Islam—stopped Matthew Saad Muhammad in the 10th round to win the WBC light heavyweight belt. Qawi stopped Saad again eight months later, taking six rounds. After a loss to Michael Spinks, the 5-foot-7 Qawi—called 'The Camden Buzzsaw'—moved up in weight and took the WBA cruiserweight title from Piet Crous in July 1985. Qawi lost the title to future heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield in a 15-rounder in July 1986. Qawi later fought as a heavyweight with George Foreman, stopping him in seven rounds. Qawi retired in 1998 at age 46 with a 41-11-1 record and 25 knockouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004. After his retirement from the ring, he worked as a boxing trainer, youth advocate, and drug and alcohol counselor.
Al Arabiya
7 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Mauricio and Soto lead Mets past Giants 5-3 for 7th straight win
Ronny Mauricio and Juan Soto homered in the seventh inning, and the New York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants 5–3 on Sunday to match a season best with their seventh straight win. Mauricio had a career-high four hits, going 4 for 4 with two doubles and a tying homer from the bottom spot in the batting order. Jeff McNeil doubled twice to help the Mets complete a three-game sweep and extend their NL East lead to 1 1/2 games over Philadelphia. Matt Chapman homered twice and drove in all three runs for the Giants, who loaded the bases in the ninth on two walks and a hit batter. Edwin Díaz struck out Willy Adames and Chapman to end it. The Mets, who also had a seven-game winning streak in April, trailed 3–2 following Chapman's second homer, a two-run drive off starter Kodai Senga in the fifth. Mauricio tied it when the rookie drove a 1-0 slider from reliever Randy Rodriguez (3–2) into McCovey Cove leading off the seventh. After Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor struck out, Soto hit his team-leading 25th home run to left, giving the Mets a 4–3 lead. They added an insurance run in the ninth on consecutive doubles by Mauricio and Nimmo. José Buttó (3–1), the second of four Mets relievers, retired three batters for the win. Gregory Soto pitched a perfect seventh in his New York debut, and Díaz worked the ninth for his 23rd save. Senga walked five in five innings. He allowed three runs and four hits. Key moment: Mauricio shut down a potential Giants rally when he fielded Adames' slow grounder in front of third base and then quickly reversed direction to tag out Heliot Ramos trying to advance from second. Key stat: Rodriguez had allowed only one home run all season before the Mets got to him twice in one inning. Up next: Mets RHP Frankie Montas (3–1 4.62 ERA) faces the Padres in San Diego on Monday. Carson Whisenhunt, the Giants' top pitching prospect, will make his major league debut Monday against Pittsburgh.
