Shedeur Sanders has had a serious amount of drama surrounding his NFL career before he’s even played a single game. The NFL draft has been known for its drama and unpredictive nature, however, what happened to Shedeur Sanders on that fateful weekend nobody could have foreseen. The latest speculative concept being thrown around the NFL town square is that Shedeur could be cut by the Browns before week 1 of the season. The idea that the Cleveland Browns would go through all that effort to acquire the services of Sanders suggest that this is not a possibility, or is it? Stranger things have happened in the NFL.
How did Shedeur Sanders find himself in this position in Cleveland?
The weeks leading up to the NFL Draft was, as always, dominated by speculation and mock drafts. The amount of time that NFL pundits and insiders spent talking about possible trades and picks was a little overwhelming. The top discussion topic was undoubtedly Shedeur Sanders. His last name carries some weight in the NFL world with his father being a polarizing character as well as a hall of famer.
Deion Sanders had an incredible career in the NFL that saw him win two Super Bowls. He spent 14 seasons at the top of the football world and then proceeded to become just as well known off the field as well as on it. He’s had reality shows and always welcomed a camera crew into his world without hesitation, no doubt causing some headaches for his coaches along the way.
Shedeur played his college career under his father’s watchful eye in Colorado. Deion Sanders was the head coach and designed the entire offensive playing style around his star quarter back, who just happened to be his son(what a coincidence). Shedeur was the best quarterback in the college league last year and threw for 4,134 yards and 37 TDs in his final college season. So his path into the NFL was guaranteed, or so everyone thought.
Could the Cleveland Browns actually cut Sanders before week 1 of the season?
After Shedeur slipped down the picking order, he was eventually selected as the 144th pick in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns. The New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints all passed on the controversial quarter back. Even the Browns selected Dillon Gabriel before Sanders, not to mention that they have Joe Flacko in their squad as well. The 40 year old is one a one year contract. Quarterbacks have always gotten the attention.
When one considers the three quarterbacks ahead of Shedeur in Cleveland, he might struggle to find playing time. Flacko is the most likely choice as the starter for Cleveland, followed by Pickett and Gabriel. All this despite Sanders impressive final college season stats. His fall from grace as been attributed to his poor attitude, a bad reflection on his father. One would have expected more from a NFL hall of famer’s son.
The Cleveland Browns are no fools though. They would have discussed all possible scenarios before selecting Shedeur. The coaching staff have stated that they encourage competition in the locker room. That is the point of sport is it not? Competition. Sanders will have mountain to climb to become the starter in Cleveland, but there is no doubt that he has the skills and we would be surprised to see Cleveland not give him at least one chance.
What will the 2025 season have in store for Shedeur Sanders and the Browns?
After his dramatic draft weekend, which to his credit, Shedeur handled with composure, Sanders will be looking to get started and prove the doubters wrong. He starts his career in the NFL in a position that most players do not find themselves in, at the bottom with a lot to prove. Most players at the top of the selection order come into the league with huge expectations, but Shedeur has a long way to go to prove his worth and effectiveness against the NFL’s best defenders. Whether he can do that remains to be seen.
