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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Shedeur Sanders is putting in the work heading into his second NFL season — and the internet has opinions.
A new video surfaced this week of the Cleveland Browns quarterback bench pressing at the University of Colorado facility, where he was working out alongside Browns receiver Gage Larvadain. The two built a connection during Sanders’ rookie year and have continued training together in the offseason.
The clip immediately divided social media.
“Brother putting up high school numbers in the NFL, acting tough,” one critical fan wrote.
“And he had cameras rolling? I’m shocked,” another added.
“Not enough,” a third said.
Shedeur Sanders putting in work 🔥🔥🔥🔥
But the support was just as loud.
“Look at the hurt losers. You lost. 12 is QB1,” one fan fired back.
“I see you Legendary2! Get that work in. Let’s go! Let’s get it!” another wrote.
Shedeur Sanders Gets Good News on Browns QB Competition
Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season, going 3-4 while throwing for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also added 169 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
Now entering Year 2, Sanders heads into an “open competition” under new head coach Todd Monken for the starting job. The Browns also have Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson under contract
“Sure, I think it’s an open competition,” Monken said of the QB battle. “I mean, I don’t why it wouldn’t be an open competition. I don’t mean that saying it harshly, but I don’t think there’s enough on film over the last couple years one way or the other to say, boy, we have our starter at quarterback yet. Whether internally or externally.”
While the situation remains unsettled, Sanders is seen as the early frontrunner.
“Right now, I would put it at 60% because if it comes down to Deshaun vs. Shedeur, there’s going to be a lot of sentiment to go with the player you finished last season with and showed what Todd Monken described as elite playmaking ability,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot said on 92.3 The Fan.
Monken: Shedeur Sanders Has ‘Elite’ Ability
Monken has made no secret of being impressed by what he’s seen on tape from Sanders.
“I think what you see is elite playmaking ability. That’s in him,” Monken said at the NFL Combine. “You’ve seen it. We’ve seen it. You saw it in college. You saw it on tape last year. Sure, there’s a ways to go. But what rookie isn’t — what first-year player doesn’t have a long way to go?”
Sanders represents the Browns’ clearest path to upside — not just on the field, but for the direction of the franchise. As a fifth-round pick, the investment is minimal, but the potential return is massive. If Sanders develops into a capable starter or better, it would give Cleveland a cost-controlled quarterback with room to grow within Monken’s system.
More importantly, it would help offset the lingering damage from the Watson trade. Hitting on Sanders wouldn’t erase that move entirely, but it would go a long way toward stabilizing the position and reshaping the narrative around the Browns’ long-term outlook.
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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