After making a strong impression in his first preseason start for the Browns two weeks ago, Shedeur Sanders struggled during nearly two full quarters of action in Cleveland's 19-17 preseason win over the Rams on Saturday.
Sanders led five drives for the Browns, but all five ended in punts and the offense only garnered one first down with him at the helm. Sanders went 3-6 for just 14 yards, and was sacked five times, including one sack that went for a loss of 24 yards. He was dealing with poor pass protection, but one of the biggest concerns surrounding him as a prospect—that he takes too many sacks and doesn't throw the ball away—came back to haunt him in this game.
Though his final preseason action did not go as well as hoped, Sanders still expressed gratitude in an Instagram post on Sunday.
"Thanks everyone for the [love] and support," Sanders wrote. "There's a lot to learn from this preseason, but I'm really thankful for the opportunity to be out there. Day by day, rep by rep, I'll keep learning and getting better."
The post echoes the optimistic mindset Sanders has consistently shown throughout his time with the Browns so far. Whether it was wowing with a two-touchdown performance in his first preseason game or not living up to high hopes on Sunday, Sanders has maintained that he has room to improve and must keep getting better.
Despite the discouraging outing, Sanders still felt confident that he will make the Browns' 53-man roster. The Browns are reportedly planning to keep Sanders as well as starter Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel on the roster.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shedeur Sanders Shared Heartfelt Message After Rough Preseason Finale With Browns.