Shedeur Sanders taking right steps forward for Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is getting ready to make his fourth career start in Week 15 against the Chicago Bears.

After throwing for 364 yards in the team's most recent game against the Tennessee Titans, the Browns tabbed Sanders as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees sees improvement from the rookie fifth-round pick and is excited to see how he continues to grow.

"I think the improvement, you know, you’re looking at all your players, all your young players to see just gradual improvement on the areas that you’re focused on," Rees said of Sanders. "I thought he did a really nice job of moving in the pocket, stepping up in the pocket. You know, he had some opportunities to step up and attack the defense, whether it was throwing the ball on the move.

"We hit Harold (Fannin Jr.) on a good one there in the two-minute, or climbing in the pocket and finding Jerry (Jeudy) on the end cut or climbing in the pocket and running with it needs be. I thought, you know, those are signs of improvement in those areas.

"I thought operationally we were clean and that’s what you’re after with all your players, specifically the young guys are the things that you’re trying to ask them to do and are the things that you’re focused on being accomplished and credit to him and credit to Coach Mus (Bill Musgrave) for continuing to get him ready to play.”

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders watches from the sidelines late against the Tennessee Titans. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Sanders continues to grow for Browns

Ever since he had an opportunity to take the field, Sanders has shown another level of his game. The more reps he's been given in games, the better he has become. He is beginning to get the intricacies of being a quarterback in the NFL down.

“Yeah, I think just what I just talked about really like the overall improvement of our footwork and our understanding – what footwork applies to what concepts and our ability to work through progressions," Rees said of Sanders. "And he’s put a lot of work in these last few weeks to get ready to play these games.

"And you see the steps as he progresses, which is again what you’re after with your young players, which you’re after with all your players is are they coachable, are they applying some of the things that you’re trying to ask them to do and he has shown that. And obviously he played a nice game for us last week and really made some plays that showed those signs that, he’s improving in those areas.”

The more Sanders proves himself to the Browns, the better his chances will be at claiming the starting job for the 2026 season and beyond. Sanders believes he has what it takes to be the Browns franchise quarterback and now he is being given the opportunity to prove that he is right.