"They don't want backup QB who's a celebrity" - NFL insider claims Shedeur Sanders is causing distractions in Browns camp

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders has drawn heavy criticism from an NFL insider. The former Colorado standout has been in the news a lot recently for varying reasons, including a confrontation with veteran reporter Tony Grossi.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, this kind of attention drawn by Sanders could be undesirable to coaches. Breer noted this on 98.5 The Sports Hub, along with hosts Fred Toucher and Rob “Hardy” Poole (3:42):

“For better or worse coaches, teams, want the backup quarterback to blend in with the furniture. They don’t want a backup quarterback who’s a celebrity. They don’t want a quarterback backup who, every time their starter fumbles a snap or throws an interception, the cameras are panning over to them. Like, they don’t want that.”

Breer continued (4:30):

“But there’s some level of it being worth it too, right? Like, you have to be good enough to justify everything that comes along with you. If you’re the best player on the team, go nuts. You can have as many camera crews as you want, right? The team’s going to put up with it. If you’re the 40th guy on the roster, there’s gonna be a lot less tolerance for it.”

Sanders is the Browns' fourth-string QB.

Shedeur Sanders, the limelight and opportunities

A chip off the old block, Shedeur Sanders has never been the one to shy away from the spotlight, much like his dad, Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders. But this has meant that he is constantly under scrutiny, both when the going is great and when it is not.

Nothing illustrates this better than his journey to the NFL. He had to wait until the fifth round to be selected, despite projections to be a first-round pick. This casts a great shadow on how he is perceived in the league. It also didn’t help that he reportedly slipped to fourth place on the Browns’ unofficial quarterback depth chart earlier this month.

However, with the opportunity to start for the Browns in their preseason opener a week ago, Shedeur Sanders shut up his critics once again. His exchange with Grossi in the tunnel following the game was significant in this regard.

The quarterback suffered a setback in practice during the week, however, injuring his oblique ahead of the team’s second preseason game. He was billed to start, but he is now doubtful for the game.