The Cleveland Browns selected Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, but the quarterback’s early experience hasn’t gone according to plan. Sanders actively discouraged the Baltimore Ravens from drafting him, preferring to land with a team where he’d have a clearer path to starting.
That decision is now drawing criticism from NFL analysts.
“I think this is insane. … At this point you’re in the fifth round. I understand you had higher hopes, but you’ve dropped to the fifth round and you’re thinking about being a starting quarterback the next year. I think this is incredibly shortsighted. … You want to go to a good organization where you can develop and reach your potential,” Alex Smith said on Sunday NFL Countdown.
Sanders’s situation in Cleveland has become increasingly awkward. The rookie quarterback isn’t getting meaningful practice reps with the team’s receivers.
Instead, he’s been relegated to working with equipment staff during training sessions.
“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 Cleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer said.
The lack of integration has sparked speculation about Sanders’s future with the Browns.
Multiple NFL analysts now view him as a potential trade candidate. The Las Vegas Raiders have emerged as a logical destination, particularly after backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell suffered a fractured wrist.
“The Las Vegas Raiders backup QB situation is up in the air after Aidan O’Connell suffered a fractured wrist. Oddly enough, the team was linked to Sanders early in the pre-draft process before they went in a very different direction with their QB situation. Sanders feels like a perfect fit for the silver-and-black. And would give them a potentially far better backup than they had a few weeks ago,” Sportsnaut’s Jason Burgos wrote.
Las Vegas presents an intriguing opportunity for Sanders’s development. Tom Brady serves as a minority owner with the Raiders, potentially offering mentorship opportunities.
The Raiders need offensive production and could provide Sanders with a more structured development environment.
With starter Geno Smith in the later stages of his career, Sanders might find a clearer path to meaningful playing time in Las Vegas than he’s currently experiencing in Cleveland. The situation represents a potential fresh start for the rookie quarterback who turned down Baltimore’s interest.
