The trash talk has officially begun. As the Cleveland Browns prepare to hand the keys to Shedeur Sanders for his first start of the season, the New Orleans Saints are making it clear they're not impressed by the young quarterback's antics.
Sanders, who will step in for the still-recovering Deshaun Watson, raised eyebrows earlier this week when asked about the Saints' defense. Instead of offering a straightforward analysis, he flashed a knowing smile and said, "Yeah, I've seen a lot. When I smile, just know that means something. I'm maturing. I'm maturing. Like, I could have given a decent answer, but now I'm just going to smile whenever it's just, like, some questions."
That response didn't sit well with fans, who saw it as anything but mature. But it certainly caught the attention of New Orleans' defensive end Carl Granderson, who was more than ready to respond when asked about Sanders' comments on Friday.
"They've been chirping a little bit. We see what the quarterback said," Granderson told reporters. "We're going to come in hot and ready to play. It's going to be a good game for sure. We're going to come out with the W."
Granderson, who has racked up 25 tackles and 5.5 sacks this season, isn't just talking. He's been a disruptive force on a defense that's looking to bounce back after a rough patch. The Saints have been under scrutiny lately, with questions swirling about whether players are still fully invested in the coaching staff. But Granderson's fiery words suggest the unit is far from checked out.
On the other side, Browns head coach Todd Monken is fully behind his young signal-caller. "I'm fired up to see him play, who wouldn't be?" Monken said Friday. "Let's go. It's the expectation of the position. This is what he has wanted. He wants to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Let's go, let's let it rip. Let's see what we got."
Sanders had a rocky rookie season, completing just 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He'll look to show significant improvement this Sunday at the Caesars Superdome, but he'll be facing a pass rush that's hungry to prove a point.
The matchup brings together two quarterbacks from the same draft class, and the contrast in their approaches has been a talking point all week. While Sanders has been cryptic and playful, his counterpart has been all business, a dynamic that adds an extra layer of intrigue to the game. It's also a reminder of how two rookies can take very different paths to the same stage.
With kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET on CBS, all eyes will be on Sanders to see if he can back up his smile with substance. But if Granderson has his way, that smile might be wiped off his face by the final whistle.
