Shedeur Sanders Handles a Question About Dillon Gabriel Starting by Silently Pantomiming a Non-Answer

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I mentioned earlier in the week how it had to be tough for Shedeur Sanders - who was projected to be the 12th overall pick in the draft according the consensus of all the major mocks - to watch Dillon Gabriel sub in for Joe Flacco Sunday. And how Rex Ryan had some words of wisdom for Sanders if he wanted to get his career back to where he expected it to be about six months ago:

Well, if he decided to heed Sexy Rexy's advice, he had an odd way of not showing it. Sound all the way up:

In case you didn't pick up on it, here's the transcript:

First reporter: "[Inaudible] you being the third quarterback?"

Sanders: "."

Same reporter: "Anything … um, vocally? You want to say?"

Sanders: "."

Second reporter: "What do you think you have to show to coaches just for them to have that belief in you that you can now be ready?" 

Sanders: "_."

Pantomime: pan·to·mime  - "express or represent (something) by extravagant and exaggerated mime."the clown candidates pantomimed different emotions"

Well, OK then. Sure, you can make a strong case that this is an odd way for the third string QB (fourth string whenever Deshaun Watson comes off PUP) on the second lowest scoring team in the league to handle anything. Especially when he has yet to take an official NFL snap. And in two preseason games completed a pass on less than half his dropbacks. And were I advising him, I might have suggested a full-throated support for his fellow rookie. Or, if that's not possible, something along the lines of "I'm here to make the most of my opportunities, get better every day and be ready to play when my team needs me." 

Essentially, anything other than doing a locker room interview version of the guy who used to do Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn":

I mean, if the goal at this point of your career - which so far has consisted of watching Flacco be the statistical worst QB1 in the league while wearing a headset and trying not to look like a bored, petulant teenager - is to prove to your coaches and teammates you're someone worthy of their trust? This is not the approach. This move is nothing but rocket fuel in the engine of every GM, Player Personnel guy, scout and pundit in the country who argued you were a bad risk and worth drafting. Not even with picks 12-through-143. 

Eventually though, Sanders will take an actual regular season snap. It might not be this year. It might not even be for this team. But every season there are dozens upon dozens of quarterbacks who get their shot. (I believe last year there was a total of 76 who had at least one dropback.) And if he's looking to not make everybody in the league root for him to fail, he's going about it all wrong.