By Michael GallagherShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders didn’t make the best impression when he stepped in for injured starter Dillon Gabriel in Week 11’s 23-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
The polarizing rookie completed just 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception, fumbling once, and taking two sacks.
But now Sanders gets the rare second chance at a first impression after taking a full week of first-team reps in preparation for his first NFL start against the struggling Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Some believe Sanders won’t look much different than he did against the Ravens even after getting his first-ever reps with the Browns’ starters. Others, including future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski, believe otherwise.
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During a recent appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Up & Adams,” Gronkowski made a prediction about how Sanders’ first start will play out, which was surprisingly more positive than what most national analysts have said about Sanders.
“You can’t ask for a better opportunity to have your first career start, and it’s going against the Raiders who are…one of the worst teams in the NFL right now,” Gronkowski stated. “I think he gets a win, and I think he stays consistent and he remains the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns. I think it’s going to happen.
“I’ve been saying the whole time just stay ready because that opportunity will come. … Yeah, he didn’t show out last week, but now he can prepare and I think this is the week that he comes out and he balls, and stays the starter.”
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Head coach Kevin Stefanski has already said that once Gabriel is cleared from the league’s concussion protocol he will resume his starting role.
However, if Sanders plays the way Gronkowski thinks he will, it’ll make it much more difficult for Stefanski to keep him on the bench given how badly Cleveland’s offense has struggled under Gabriel.
Most expect the Browns to take a quarterback early in the 2026 NFL draft. If that’s the case then an argument could be made that Sanders should get as much playing time over the teams’ final seven games to properly evaluate whether he could be a piece to build around or not.
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