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Cleveland Browns pass-rusher Myles Garrett made his feelings clear on Shedeur Sanders.
Cleveland Browns superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett threw his support behind Shedeur Sanders to be the top contender for the starting quarterback job as the team heads into an offseason of uncertainty.
The Browns have three quarterbacks currently under contract for next season: Sanders, Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel. The team is expected to explore all of its options to add to the quarterback room.
Cleveland also has a new head coach in Todd Monken, who was brought in to rebuild an offense that ranked near the bottom of the league in most major categories. The Browns averaged just 262.1 yards and 16.4 points per game.
After starting the season as a fifth-round pick, buried on the depth chart, Sanders started the final seven games of the season. He passed for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Garrett was asked if Sanders was “the guy” by fellow pass-rusher Micah Parsons of the Green Bay Packers during a panel during Super Bowl week, and gave an interesting answer.
“That’s who we’re looking at as the guy,” Garrett said. “We’re gonna give him a shot to prove that he is the guy, we’re not gonna give anyone that title until they go out there and earn it.
“He was the last person to be on the field, and he showed some flashes, so we’re gonna give him an opportunity to show what he can really do, uncork the ball.”
Browns Coach Todd Monken Excited About Deshaun Watson
Garrett noted that Sanders should be the first to get a shot, but Watson — and whoever else the Browns bring in — will also be in the mix.
“I feel like everyone on the roster is gonna get a shot. He (Shedeur) was the last guy on the field, so he’s gonna get first serve,” Garrett said. “Deshuan, whoever else is on the roster is gonna get a real look.”
Monken has been non-committal on the quarterback situation. But he did seem to be intrigued by Watson, a former Pro Bowler who has had a rough string of injuries.
“You’ve got two young players who still have a long way to go in terms of development, and that’s just part of the learning curve in the NFL,” Monken said during an interview with Ashley Holder of Cleveland 19 News. “Then you have a player like Deshaun, who is coming back from injury and was once a Pro Bowl player and an elite player in this league. We would love to tap back into that.”
Browns Confident Myles Garrett Will Be Content
There’s been some speculation that Garrett could demand a trade following the departure of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Garrett asked for a trade last offseason, citing he wanted to play for a contender. He and the Browns eventually agreed to a four-year, $160 million extension. Owner Jimmy Haslam said he expects Garrett to continue to dominate in a Browns uniform moving forward, despite the changes.
“Listen, I love Myles, OK?” Haslam said. “I haven’t talked to him since the day after the season, but I’m highly confident Myles will come in here and break the sack record again and be the Defensive Player (of the Year). He hasn’t been named it (yet), but I’ll be shocked if he isn’t and will be a leader of our team.”
Garrett is fresh off a record-setting campaign, notching an NFL single-season record 23 sacks.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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