Browns' Shedeur Sanders under fire over mime incident with reporters

Hours after the Cleveland Browns (1-3) confirmed on Wednesday that they will start rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel over veteran Joe Flacco for this coming Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings (2-2), first-year pro Shedeur Sanders mouthed silent answers to reporters' questions inside the Cleveland locker room. 

During Thursday's edition of the ESPN "Get Up" program, former NFL quarterback and current analyst Dan Orlovsky was critical of Sanders and sent a message to the rookie regarding that decision. 

Shedeur Sanders needs to act like a QB1 even though he isn't one

"I actually don’t think there is a time and place to act like that as a quarterback," Orlovsky explained, per Chris Rosvoglou of The Spun. "Everything you do when you’re a quarterback — I don’t care if you’re first, second or third — is a job interview. My question to Shedeur would be: Are you helping yourself in your own building? Did that 30 or 40 seconds help you in your own building when it comes to what they think you can be in the future? And did you help yourself outside of the building? There’s 64 jobs, essentially, at that spot in the NFL. Did that 30 or 40 seconds help your future there or elsewhere?" 

On Wednesday afternoon, ESPN's Adam Schefter revealed that Sanders' mime act "was in response to ESPN analyst Rex Ryan criticizing the rookie QB earlier this week." Specifically, Ryan said during Monday's episode of "Get Up" that Sanders "should be embarrassed" he's third on the Cleveland depth chart this fall. Ryan also hinted he has been told by somebody within the Browns that Sanders hasn't been working hard enough behind the scenes. 

Shedeur Sanders is in a unique situation

Later on Thursday morning, former NFL safety and current ESPN analyst Ryan Clark pointed out that Sanders is in a unique position as a third-string quarterback who generates headlines and receives attention from media members. Flacco is on track to serve as Gabriel's primary backup versus the Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.