The Cleveland Browns selected Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round after a dramatic slide down the draft board. However, throughout training camp, things haven’t gone quite the way he had hoped. He was consistently buried on the depth chart and didn’t receive many reps. At times, he was even seen throwing passes to members of the equipment staff instead of teammates.
“Shedeur Sanders apparently is throwing not to receivers but to equipment guys. They have got equipment guys snapping him the ball and then also running the routes. Mahomes is throwing to Kelce, Shedeur is throwing to equipment guys,” ESPN’s Aaron Goldhammer said.
While he didn’t get many on-field reps during camp, Sanders was active off the field—particularly in the community—something not often seen from rookies.
“I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never seen what Shedeur Sanders is doing this early on in a player’s career,” Cecil Shorts said on Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan. “I’ve never seen that before, I’ve never seen a rookie come into the league and before he even played a snap is already in the Garden Valley Projects … All the things he’s doing (in the community). It’s a special thing he’s doing, that’s not normal.”
However, not everyone has been impressed. Jim Rome, host of The Jim Rome Show, recently unleashed a harsh critique of Sanders. He made it clear that if Sanders didn’t have his high-profile name, he likely wouldn’t be on the Browns' roster.
“If he wasn’t named Shedeur Sanders and if he took 5 sacks in 11 drop backs as a fifth round draft pick, who is number four on the depth chart, do you know where he’d be?” Rome said. “Pretty much out on his a**.”
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Rome didn’t hold back in criticizing the rookie, especially in response to those who claim the Browns are treating Sanders unfairly.
Sanders ultimately made the final roster, but he remains last on the quarterback depth chart. While there’s still time for him to grow and prove himself, the spotlight will continue to follow him—especially with the name he carries.