Before the 2025 NFL Draft started, many believed Shedeur Sanders would end up in a situation where he had a chance to compete for and possibly win a starting quarterback competition. Once every NFL team passed on him while he slipped all the way to the fifth round, it became evident that Sanders’ pro career would start off much slower than many had anticipated.
Still, no one would have guessed Sanders would slip all the way to the 144th overall pick or that he’d be starting training camp as the fourth-string quarterback. However, landing with the Cleveland Browns did give him at least a chance to get his foot in the door for a franchise that is still seeking a long-term starter.
While Kenny Pickett’s recent hamstring injury will undoubtedly lead to an increase in reps, Sanders still isn’t working with the first-team offense. Yet, that shouldn’t come as a major surprise, considering he’s in last place on the Browns’ depth chart.
Still, as Sports Illustrated’s NFL expert Albert Breer tells it, Sanders simply isn’t a “viable” starting option for the Browns. Not right now anyway, with the presence of former Super Bowl winner Joe Flacco plus third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel, who has more college experience than Sanders did, possibly making him more ‘pro-ready.’
“The good news is that, despite being behind the other three Browns quarterbacks, he has worked hard to catch up, and has made up some ground. But progress and actually being a viable starting option are two different things. At this point, Sanders doesn’t seem to be one.”
SI’s Albert Breer on Shedeur Sanders
Even though Sanders has a lot of ground to make up, as Breer notes, the 23-year-old has done a fine job of narrowing the gap thus far.
Who knows? Perhaps we will see Shedeur take some snaps with the starting offense by the time the season is done, after he’s had even more time to perfect his craft at the highest level.
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