Rex Ryan Nukes Shedeur Sanders From Orbit: 'Quit Being an Embarrassment'

It wasn't supposed to be this way for Shedeur Sanders. Sure, some people might have gotten way out over their skis by projecting him as a Top 5 draft pick. But the Mock Draft Database Consensus Big Board, which is a compilation of dozens of mocks, had him going 12th. But instead of being the second quarterback taken, he was the second quarterback selected by his own team. And the Browns currently stands as the second-lowest scoring team in the league. This despite the fact four teams haven't even played their fourth game, and all four have outscored them. And yet Sanders hasn't gotten off the Cleveland sideline. Even as Joe Flacco is 32nd in passer rating.

Meanwhile, there are reports that indicate not only is Sanders not about to see the field any time soon, he might actually be getting further from it:

The Athletic -  This is hardly an ideal time to go to [Dillon] Gabriel. The Browns travel to London next week to face the Minnesota Vikings and defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who ... is excellent at scheming exotic blitzes and disguising pressure. ...

And yet it doesn’t feel as if the Browns have many other options. ...

If he is a mess, they can always go back to Flacco in a few weeks. (Yes, I said Flacco, not Shedeur Sanders. It seems clear Sanders is viewed as a developmental pick. Barring injury, I don’t expect to see him on the field anytime soon.)

Now in most situations, when a guy was looking to be taken in the top half of Round 1 and fell into the mid-100s instead, and finds himself at the bottom of the depth chart in the weakest QB room in the league, this might be considered a time for kind words of support and sympathy. But if we've learned anything since the end of April, Shedeur Sanders' football journey is not "most situations." It never has been. 

With him, the normal rules don't apply. As Rex Ryan bore witness to this morning:

… You've got the talent to be the quarterback, you should be. You should be embarrassed that you're not the quarterback now." 

Damn.

That's quite a bomb to drop on a 23-year-old "developmental pick" who has yet to take an NFL snap that counted. And it's important to point out that if Rex Ryan is dragging Sanders because his father helped his career, he might want to add that he and his brother Rob got an assist too. Buddy raised them like veal calves to coach defenses, they didn't just show up at the door of some NFL front office, asking for the chance to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. Nepo Babies should recognize Nepo Babies. 

All that said, the long, strange trip of Shedeur Sanders continues. Like that Athletic article points out, the Browns are now in their 27th year since they were given their franchise back. And they're still looking for a quarterback who can make them winners. But Sanders isn't going to be the guy to reverse that trend any time soon. And never, if Rex Ryan has anything to say about it.