Reports: Shedeur Sanders Not Running Scout Team as Browns Use Bailey Zappe in Practice
ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Rizzo says the Browns’ third-string rookie has been observed watching scout-team reps while veteran Bailey Zappe simulates opponents at practice
Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders reportedly has not been running scout-team reps during team practices, with veteran Bailey Zappe taking those repetitions, ESPN Cleveland host Tony Rizzo said Thursday.
"I'm hearing Shedeur isn't even running scout team, he's literally watching everyone," Rizzo said on his show. "Bailey Zappe's running scout team. I don't know if that's true, that's what I'm hearing. Why's he on the team? Why is he even here? If that's what you think of him. Because his jersey is selling? The Haslems don't need jersey money, do they? Then why is he on the team, if he's not even running scout team?"
Rizzo characterized Sanders as "literally watching everyone," and said the Browns have relied on Zappe, a fourth-year veteran, to emulate upcoming opposing quarterbacks in scout-team work. The Browns faced Cincinnati's Joe Burrow, a prototypical pocket passer, in Week 1 and are preparing this week for Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, a dual-threat signal-caller.
The Browns have not publicly confirmed Rizzo's account. The club carried the same depth chart after the preseason, listing veteran Joe Flacco as the starter and third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel as the primary backup ahead of Sanders, who was a fifth-round selection.
Third-string quarterbacks do not typically receive many live-game repetitions because most practice reps go to the starter and the backup, but they often handle scout-team duties to mimic opposing quarterbacks. Rizzo's report that Zappe was filling that scout-team role raises questions about how the Browns are deploying Sanders during practice.
Sanders had an up-and-down preseason that included a widely discussed debut, but his limited practice and preseason snaps have not slowed public interest. According to NFLPA sales data covering March 1 through July 31, Sanders ranked among the league's top jersey sellers, placing fifth overall and first among rookies.
The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round and Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Team personnel decisions on practice roles and roster construction have not been publicly detailed beyond the official depth chart. Coaches routinely tailor scout-team assignments to meet preparation needs for specific opponents; the Browns' choice to use Zappe for certain scout reps could reflect a strategic preference or other internal considerations.
Sanders remains listed on the roster as the third quarterback behind Flacco and Gabriel. The Browns entered the week preparing to face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The team declined immediate comment on the practice reports.