by With the Cleveland Browns out to a 4-2 start and Deshaun Watson appearing healthy, despite being sacked over a dozen times the last two weeks, backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders appears expendable. Sanders remains one of the most prominent and popular backups in all of pro sports, not just football. While fans keep clamoring for him to start over Watson, it is pretty apparent that it will not be happening until after the Browns are eliminated with playoff contention. Again, at 4-2, that may not be until mid December, if at all.
In 8 appearances last season, 7 of which he started in, Sanders went 120 of 212 for 1400 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was also picked off 10 times and sacked 23 times in 8 games. When you break it down, he threw for 200 yards a start, 1 touchdown a start but averaged over a pick a game and 3 sacks a game. He wasn’t very good. Few, if any GM’s see him as a quality starting quarterback in this league, but a trade partner has arisen that may be desperate enough to send the Cleveland Browns a late round, (5,6 or 7 ) draft pick for him.
The Philadelphia Eagles were a heavy pre-season favorite to win an extremely weak NFC East. They are off to a slow start however at 2-4 with an injured Saquon Barkley and now news today that starting quarterback Jalen Hurts is out for the year with a serious blood clot.
The Eagles have lost 4 straight, but have 3 straight games against divisional opponents with a chance to turn things around. Their backup quarterbacks have been miserable in the absence of Hurts as Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee have combined to go 26 of 46 with 1 touchdown and a QBR of 77.
Do the Eagles trust Tanner McKee to get them back on track? The unproven quarterback in his third year out of Stanford? Or do they believe the ageless veteran Andy Dalton who has been in the league since 2011 and has not won a single playoff game in his 15 years in the league.
Sander may be the spark the Eagles need. If you recall, Sanders did go 3-4 as a starter last year. Also, the Browns other second year quarterback Dillion Gabriel has shown he can be more then a serviceable backup. If the Browns are ever going to trade Sanders, they may never have a more perfect time then right now….
