How Shedeur Sanders stacks up in the Cleveland Browns quarterback room remains a contentious storyline. Even after Tuesday’s release of the Week 1 depth chart, the former Colorado quarterback sits third behind veteran Joe Flacco and third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel.
The debate surrounding his role continues to intensify with his father, Deion Sanders, making his perspective known from day one. Some have argued that the Browns have mishandled a player once viewed as a first-round talent. But the conversation turned when Cleveland placed him behind Gabriel, who entered the league with considerably less draft buzz. Was this done to minimize Shedeur’s opportunity in Cleveland?
ESPN analyst Ryan Clark has pushed back on the notion Shedeur needs special treatment. On Get Up, he explained that Sanders was a fifth-round pick, and teams typically treat them as projects and not instant contributors.
“What it is that they’re doing is they’re treating Shedeur Sanders like a fifth-round pick,” Clark said. “We’re not covering every fifth-round pick in the NFL, hoping that he gets the opportunity to be the starter on Day 1… They’re playing the guy they picked in the third round over him because they evaluated him at a higher level.”
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Clark received backlash with critics accusing him of turning on the Sanders family. He went on the defensive with his response. “For all the people that called me a sellout… kiss my a--,” he said in a video posted to Instagram.
"I love @deionsanders and his family, but I want my voice to mean something. I refuse to make things up to appease people. Parts of Shedeur’s process has been handled with biased & disingenuous intention… but hard to believe the 1 team that actually drafted him is now sabotaging him! I know how we see him, but that’s not how the NFL does. That’s something I had to accept, & y’all do to."
Deion Sanders quickly stepped in to back him by writing, “We love you my brother… Keep on being u. I respect u admire u and can count on u to keep it (100)!”
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Meanwhile, outside voices have added fuel to the controversy. NFL legend Eric Dickerson alleged on AM 570 LA Sports that league officials actively discouraged teams from drafting Sanders in April.
“I tell you this much, what I heard from someone in the NFL is they told [teams] don’t draft him,” Dickerson said. “We’re going to make an example out of him.” He further explained that the Browns only selected Sanders in the fifth round after receiving a call urging them to take him.
Sanders was taken by the Browns as the No. 144 pick in April's 2025 NFL Draft. For now, Cleveland is sticking with experience. Flacco has been given the green light for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Gabriel is expected to get his chance soon. Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot noted that Sanders will see action at some point this season, “but probably not until later… when he’s more seasoned.”
That may be the reality today, but as with everything surrounding Shedeur Sanders, the conversation is unlikely to quiet down any time soon.
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