THE SANDERS AUDIT: Stability, Sabotage, and the Miami Connection

From the Ball 'N Play™ Sports Agency PLLC Podcast HERE

Shedeur isn’t just playing QB – He’s playing defense against the internet. 

And that offends my sense of fair-play –Because right now, Shedeur Sanders is trying to develop in Cleveland during the loudest week of the NFL year… while the league is doing what it always does in early January: turning every sideline glance into a job interview and every interception into a personality indictment. 

And here’s the wild part: we can talk stats, we can talk scheme, we can talk coaching hot seats… but the Shedeur discourse is never just football. It’s always football plus everything people feel about his last name. 

 So tonight, we’re doing an audit. Not a fan-fiction session. Not a hate-watch. An audit. Because “If you can’t evaluate a rookie with context, you’re not scouting—you’re performing.”  

This blog, and its companion podcast and 2 Fast Breaks) is about Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland and the weird gravitational pull Miami has on this whole story right now. And yes—I’m very pro-Shedeur. Not in a “deny reality” way. In a “watch the tape, watch the leadership, and stop treating a rookie QB like he’s a finished product” way.   

Because here’s what’s happening: 

Cleveland is 4–12. Miami is 7–9. And both franchises are standing at the edge of the “we’re about to do something dramatic” cliff—while Shedeur is trying to grow up in public, inside the most chaotic part of the league calendar, with vapid rabid critics super-imposing their love hom or hate him mentality about the father onto the son (and just to be clear, I am pro-Prime Time as well but that doesn’t negate what is being done to Shedeur here, in part).  

So let’s talk about the headlines, the rumors, the hate, the Deion gravity, and—most importantly—Shedeur’s rookie comps with per-game context applied, because some of y’all are comparing full-season QB totals like they’re Costco-sized. We’re not doing that here. 

And a caveat, if you will, my being Pro-Shedeur does not mean I am going to pretend he’s been perfect. It does mean that I recognize that quarterback development is an ecosystem problem and it also means calling out folks who expect to see a rookie quarterback being grown like a houseplant in a hurricane and then act shocked the leaves are doing parkour. 

Yep, Cleveland named him the starter for the remainder of the season – that’s one more game -  

And that matters because it means the organization is MAYBE finally doing the one thing that actually produces answers: letting the kid run real reps, not cameo appearances. BUT THERE IS NO DENYING THAT THE BROWN ORGANIZATION keeps asking Shedeur to change the franchise while the franchise keeps changing the rules.” 

And that line isn’t poetry. It’s Cleveland history. 

Shedeur became the 42nd starting QB for the Browns since they returned in 1999.   

Forty-two. That’s not a depth chart. That’s a census. 

 So before we even touch anything else – remember this: 

the context here is this:   Shedeur is developing inside a franchise that treats “QB1” like a rental car. 

THE AUDIT

So let’s talk about Cleveland’s “Black Monday Eve” Energy that is super-prevalent right now – I mean you can feel it throughout much of the NFL. This is the weekend heading into next week where owners start acting like they just discovered the concept of “accountability,” and everyone becomes an insider. Coaches get evaluated, front offices get evaluated, and rookies get blamed for things they didn’t break. 

And Cleveland? Cleveland has that special kind of energy where the conversation is never just “Is he developing?”  

It’s always: 

• “Is he the future?

• Is he the problem?

• Is he the headline?

• Is he the scapegoat?” 

And right now the headline should have been simple. Shedeur Sanders is a 5th-round pick who got thrown into the fire—and the Browns committed to him for the rest of the season.    Cleveland said: we’re riding with the rookie.   

And that’s where the plot thickens—because the second Cleveland made that commitment, the next question should have been: How are we building a home for him – instead it seems to have become: 

Are you building a home for him… or just borrowing him until you find a shinier toy? 

So lets talk about the facts we actually know - No rumor mill debunking or speculation just yet. 

Here’s what Shedeur’s produced this season: 

ESPN has him at 1,289 passing yards, 7 TD, 10 INT, with a 57.4% completion rate.   

The NFL’s own game logs show the late-season sample that shaped the narrative—big day vs. Tennessee, ugly day at Chicago, competitive vs. Buffalo, win vs. Pittsburgh.   

And yes—10 interceptions is loud. It’s supposed to be loud. Interceptions are the smoke alarm. 

But here’s where the internet gets unserious: people talk about those picks like they’re a moral failure. 

So clip this: 

Ten picks isn’t a verdict. It’s a chapter—ask Peyton Manning.

And that monster game against Tennessee—364 passing yards, 3 passing TD, plus a rushing TD—and Reuters noted that game put him in rare company among rookies historically.   

The Elephant in the Room: The Interceptions

Yes, Shedeur’s interception number is high. 

No, that does not automatically mean “bust.”  

It means: rookie.  

It means: imperfect environment.  

It means: reps.  

It means: film.  

It means: growth. 

And in my opinion, it means get a better O-line to protect and a coach that can coach and develop him.

 So let’s do a per-game comparisons, not lazy total-stat shaming like the internet is awash with right now.  

Shedeur’s Rookie QB Comps (Per-Game Averages) 

And this is the part where people get weird—because everyone wants to compare Shedeur to other rookies, but they forget one tiny detail: 

Shedeur has played fewer games than some of the other rookies people keep using as measuring sticks.   

So let’s do this clean: per-game averages. 

(NOTE THESE AVERAGES HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE GAME 18 AND ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE COMPANION PODCAST)

Shedeur Sanders (CLE) — 8 games 

• 175.0 pass yards/game

• 0.88 pass TD/game

• 1.25 INT/game

Cam Ward (TEN) — 17 games 

• 186.4 pass yards/game

• 0.88 pass TD/game

• 0.41 INT/game   

Jaxson Dart (NYG) — 14 games 

• 162.3 pass yards/game

• 1.07 pass TD/game

• 0.36 INT/game 

Now—two important notes: 

Shedeur’s INT rate is the loudest difference in this peer group. That’s real. BUT The correct response to that is not “banish him.” The correct response is “build the incubator.” Because the most common rookie QB sin is trying to do too much in a bad situation—especially on a team that’sbehind.    

And two – Cam and Jaxson had full seasons to develop, to practice with the team and all of that – Shedeur did not – so even the per-game averages are not really apples to apples . . . 

And for context, the league has seen plenty of QBs throw picks early and still become franchise guys. 

• Peyton Manning threw 28 interceptions as a rookie (1998).   

• Trevor Lawrence threw 17 interceptions as a rookie (2021).   

• Matthew Stafford threw 20 interceptions as a rookie (2009).   

That does not mean “picks don’t matter.” It means: rookie QB evaluation is supposed to include context. Especially when the team around that rookie QB is inconsistent, injured, or living on a carousel. 

Now, here’s the part where I’m going to say something that makes the comment section itch: 

A rookie QB’s real stat line is: processing speed, resilience, and leadership under stress. 

And Shedeur has been showing those traits in the one place where people go to lose hope professionally: Cleveland. 

So no, I’m not saying “INTs don’t matter.” I’m saying: don’t pretend the first version of a young QB is the final version. That’s a chapter. Not the book. So if someone’s trying to sell you the idea that “Shedeur is the only young QB making mistakes,” they’re selling you a dramatic reading, not analysis. Young QBs on dysfunctional teams get asked to do calculus in a house fire –  Which brings us to the Cleveland-Miami crossover chaos   

Miami ↔ Cleveland: Aikman reality, McDaniel smoke 

Now we pivot to Miami—because Miami is basically the league’s telenovela setting right now. 

Here’s what’s real: 

ESPN reported the Dolphins brought in Troy Aikman as a consultant to advise their general manager search process.  That’s not a small move. That’s Miami saying, “We want outside gravity in the room.” 

Now here’s what’s smoke, but sourced smoke: 

There’s reporting/aggregation citing ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler that Mike McDaniel could be a candidate for Cleveland if Miami moves on and Cleveland opens up.   (UPDATE: Cleveland has opened up and McDaniel is free as of noon today, Jan. 8).

Keyword: if. Conditional. Not “done.” Not “confirmed hire.” 

Now, why does the rumor have oxygen? Because McDaniel is viewed as an offensive architect, and Cleveland is trying to decide what kind of environment it wants for a young quarterback.  BUT Stability isn’t just staying the course; it’s choosing a direction and sticking to it.

If Cleveland keeps Stefanski, it needs a coherent plan around Shedeur. 

If Cleveland changes coaches, it needs to avoid “new playbook whiplash” that destroys quarterbacks before they ever get a fair evaluation. 

And add to this that yes, Cleveland has been exploring “senior voices” in the front office—Josina Anderson reported meetings with former GMs Chris Grier and Tom Telesco about potentially joining as a senior perspective.  And there’s also reporting/rumor coverage suggesting Andrew Berry is likely to stay.  Translation: the Browns are trying to add adults to the room—either because they’re serious about breaking the cycle, or because they want more layers to spread responsibility when things go wrong. 

So Miami and Cleveland are basically sharing a rumor ecosystem like it’s a group chat. 

Which brings us to the core football question: 

If you’re Cleveland, and you believe Shedeur is a real asset, what kind of coach best supports that? A timing-and-space coach? A structure coach? A rhythm coach? A stability coach? Because the wrong answer is: a new system every year.  

The Browns’ bigger problem historically is the cycle: 

• panic, 

• fire, 

• reset, 

• panic again. 

If adding senior voices reduces panic, good. But here’s the warning label: If you add “senior voices” and still do the same chaotic stuff, then all you did was decorate the chaos with nicer furniture. 

Protect the Asset 

To reiterate again - Being “pro-Shedeur” is not pretending he’s perfect. It’s insisting the franchise behaves like it wants him to succeed.  This league has a bad habit: 

• If a rookie QB struggles, we say “he can’t play.” 

• If a rookie QB survives chaos, we say “he’s lucky.” 

• And if he’s confident while doing it, we say “he’s arrogant.” 

Meanwhile, the teams with stability get to develop quarterbacks in peace. 

 Also, some quarterbacks get patience - some get punished for being interesting.

 Shedeur was drafted in the 5th round. He was never supposed to be the savior this fast.   

And yet: he’s out there taking real NFL reps and putting real film on tape – that’s not nothing – Actually what Shedeur has done should be more than enough committed front office and coaching staff  to well - yes, Ill say it - build a franchise around him – He’s the QB they’ve been looking for - - -  BUT  - a lot of people don’t critique Shedeur like a normal rookie. They critique him like a symbol. They aren’t evaluating throws. They’re evaluating what they think the Sanders brand “means.” 

I mean really think about this . . . a fifth-round rookie became QB1 in Cleveland—and people still talk like he’s the one with privilege. That’s the bizarre emotional math of sports narratives.  

 Closing Predictions

This weekend—in this Week 18 / Black Monday fog—Cleveland’s job is not to chase the next rumor like it’s a dopamine pellet. 

Cleveland’s job is to decide what it is because if you’re constantly resetting the building, you’re not rebuilding. You’re just rearranging the same mess with different furniture. 

Cleveland’s mandate is not “find a new rumor.” Cleveland’s mandate is: pick a direction. 

•  If you keep Stefanski, then build the offense to Shedeur’s strengths and stop treating his development like a side project.   

•  If you move on from Stefanski, then don’t hire a coach for headlines—hire a coach for quarterback development and organizational stability. 

And in the background, keep your eye on Miami: 

• Aikman consulting the GM search is real.   

• McDaniel-to-Cleveland chatter is real as a conditional rumor.   

Let me land this Audit plane with the most important point:  

Shedeur can be imperfect and still be the guy you build with. He can throw picks and still show leadership you can’t teach. You can fix footwork. You can fix timing. You can fix interception problems with protection, structure, and experience.  BUT WHAT YOU CANNOT “INSTALL” is the instinct to protect the locker room from becoming a circus—and Shedeur’s shown that when the bait is right there on the hook.   

Shedeur doesn’t need a miracle. He needs a plan. 

That’s the audit. 

I’m Lee and I’ll catch y’all on the other side of Black Monday.