The Cleveland Browns selected Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL Draft in April. The quarterback’s fall to the fifth round caught many draft analysts off guard.
Former NFL running back Eric Dickerson revealed the league actively discouraged teams from selecting Sanders during the draft process.
“The NFL told teams, ‘Do not draft him. We’re gonna make an example out of him,'” Dickerson said. “This came from a very good source. A very good source. And he said somebody called the Cleveland Browns and said, ‘Don’t do that. Don’t draft him.'”
Sanders has focused on community involvement throughout the summer. The rookie quarterback has spent time in Cleveland neighborhoods before taking his first NFL snap.
Cecil Shorts discussed Sanders’ community work on Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan.
“I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never seen what Shedeur Sanders is doing this early on in a player’s career,” Shorts said. “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.”
The Browns face roster decisions as cuts approach. Sanders could be among the players released despite his draft status.
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco identified Sanders as a potential cut candidate.
“The rookie that they would probably get rid of would be the one they took in the 5th round,” Prisco wrote.
The team’s handling of Sanders during training camp has drawn questions from local media. Some believe releasing the quarterback would damage the organization’s relationship with fans.
“It would be the most demoralizing thing. The season…it would be shot before it even started. A lot of fans have invested a lot of time, a lot of energy,” 92.3 The Fan’s Jonathan Peterlin wrote.
Cleveland fans have shown support for Sanders since the draft. His community involvement has strengthened that connection.
The Browns must decide whether to keep Sanders on the roster as final cuts approach. His status remains uncertain despite the fan investment in his future with the team.
