Browns' Shedeur Sanders shares harsh truth about situation ahead of second start

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make the second regular-season start of his young career when the 3-8 Browns host the 8-4 San Francisco 49ers this coming Sunday.

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Sanders suggested he could be one lackluster showing away from potentially falling back down Cleveland's depth chart. 

Shedeur Sanders knows that Cleveland starting job "could be taken at any point"

"I'm definitely not comfortable, though, so that's first and foremost that I have another opportunity to go out there," Sanders said about his mindset, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "But in life, you got to understand how quickly things come or how long it comes, it could be taken at any point in time. So I'm never comfortable in a situation I'm in. I always want to exceed expectations, and I always want to grow in each and every week, I would want to put a better product of myself, be a better version of myself for the team to be out there."

Sanders received an opportunity to make his first regular-season start at the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 23 because former Cleveland QB1 Dillon Gabriel wasn't able to clear concussion protocol in time to practice ahead of that game. Versus the Raiders, Sanders completed 11-of-20 passes for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 24-10 win. 

He also energized his teammates with his confidence and his ability to throw the deep ball. Gabriel went 1-5 as the Browns starter before he missed the Raiders game. 

Shedeur Sanders growing more comfortable with additional first-team practice reps

Much was said and written over the past handful of months about how Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski didn't give Sanders first-team practice reps from the start of springtime workouts through the middle of November. Sanders is now spending his second week practicing as Cleveland's QB1. 

"Day by day, minute by minute, meeting by meeting, of course," Sanders said about building chemistry with members of the Browns' first-team offense. "I'm getting a little bit more comfortable and comfortable in being in that role, being in that position. They're getting more comfortable with me, also. So I'm excited. I'm happy for it, and I'm just thankful." 

It's unclear how Stefanski will handle the Browns' quarterback situation if Sanders plays poorly against the 49ers. Sanders' comments indicate he thinks he could be benched as soon as early next week.