According to multiple coaches and teammates, work ethic hasn't been an issue for former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders during his early days with the Cleveland Browns.
On Wednesday, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees became the latest Browns coach to praise Sanders' rookie mindset. Rees spoke with the media following an OTA practice and said Sanders has "worked his tail off" within the Browns' crowded quarterback room.
"He's really put in a lot of work, as all those guys are," Rees said, per the Browns' livestream. "You can tell on the mental side of the game, learning the system, calling it and having that rhythm to it, he's put a lot of work and time and effort into that. When you do that, the game starts to slow down and you can focus on finding completions. He's done a nice job of that as camp progresses."
With three other healthy quarterbacks to beat out in third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, Sanders has no choice but to work hard if he wants to steal the coach Kevin Stefanski's starting job under center. Flacco and Pickett both hold considerable NFL experience while Gabriel was drafted two rounds ahead of Sanders in April.
Rees also spoke on the dynamics of his quarterback room following practice on Wednesday.
"The quarterbacks get along in most places, right?" Rees said. "Everyone is supporting one another, it's one group, everyone's pushing ahead. Everyone's competing, but everybody's supporting one another and that's the cool part about being in a quarterback room is that relationship and understanding how close those guys are and how much they help one another. Look, we're in a selfless business here. We want the team to win and we all got to support one another to do that.
Per ESPN Cleveland, Sanders completed 9-of-14 passes for three touchdowns and one interception during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 team drills on Wednesday. However, Sanders was the only quarterback not to receive first-team reps, according to ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.
Browns quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, who crossed paths with Colorado offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur in the 2010s with the Philadelphia Eagles, has also noticed Sanders and Gabriel becoming more comfortable with NFL nuances. The two rookies each gained ample experience at the college level but are now taking on a new set of challenges.
"They've done a nice job," Musgrave said on a team podcast. "Both guys, I think, are becoming more comfortable every day in our language and the way that they huddle. There's not a lot of huddles in college and high school, which is good. It's not the college's responsibility to get these guys ready for the NFL. They're responsible for lighting up the scoreboard and winning games."
Cleveland will close OTAs on Friday ahead of a three-day mandatory veteran minicamp beginning Tuesday.
