The Cleveland Browns pulled the trigger on taking Shedeur Sanders after his historic slide in the NFL Draft.
But some fans are skeptical about the team’s enthusiasm for the player based on the reactions of Browns leadership after the selection.
ESPN footage of Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry showed light golf claps with blank facial expressions in the team’s war room after the pick of Sanders was announced.
Berry slouched with a half frown.
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Many fans on social media questioned how enthusiastic team brass actually was about taking the controversial prospect.
“They look thrilled. Did someone force their hand?” one X user wrote in response to the footage.
Another user expressed concern over Sanders possibly being on a team whose leadership doesn’t value him.
“This is even more disrespectful than NOT drafting him. No way these guys treat Shedeur fairly,” the user wrote.
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On bold critic even suggested Berry and Stefanski gave a “reaction of shame,” while pushing a conspiracy theory involving NFL collusion.
“This is a reaction of shame, they are embarrassed that they decided to participate in this collusion, participated in knowingly and obviously screwing this kid yet end up drafting him,” that user wrote.
Berry and Stefasnki later explained the selection of Sanders to reporters in a press conference. Berry suggested that drafting Sanders “wasn’t necessarily the plan” after taking quarterback Dillon Gabriel in an earlier round, and he didn’t think Sanders would be available in the fifth round.
“It wasn’t necessarily the plan going into the weekend to select two quarterbacks, but, you know, as we talk about, we do believe in best player available. We do believe in positional value. And we didn’t necessarily expect him to be available in the fifth round,” Berry said.
“So, we love adding competition to every position room. So, adding him to compete with the other guys who are already in there, that was the appropriate thing to do.”
While discussing the strategy behind drafting Sanders, Berry said it was something Browns officials started to consider entering the third day of the draft.
“It was something, going into day three of the draft with him still on the board, it was a thought like, ‘Well, you know, depending on how far he goes, that would be something that we would be interested in potentially taking him off the board,’” Berry said.
“As names kept coming off the board, and we saw how we were positioned, we just felt like the value was there.”
Berry added that the interview experience with Sanders was “positive” amid reports the quarterback interviewed poorly for multiple NFL teams.
Before Saturday, the relationship between the Browns and Sanders family wasn’t all flattering compliments.
Shedeur’s father, Colorado football coach and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, once suggested a young quarterback should refuse to play for Cleveland in 2018, the way Eli Manning refused to play for the Chargers in 2004.
“I love what the Browns have done this offseason but if im a young QB ain’t no way im going to Cleveland. I would pull a ELI MANNING If possible,” Deion wrote in a March 2018 Twitter post.
However, Deion also disputed the notion that Shedeur might not play for the Browns after a rumor surfaced last season.
“A Lie don’t care who tells it. Please stop trying to become relevant by misrepresenting my son. God bless you,” Deion wrote in response to a post circulating the rumor.
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