Shedeur Sanders has golden opportunity to begin changing Browns' minds

New York Times

4 days ago

Let's get this out of the way: There is no conspiracy theory against Shedeur Sanders. The Cleveland Browns are not out to ruin his career or set him up to fail.
The Browns are simply treating him like a fifth-round rookie and the fourth quarterback on their depth chart. Nothing more, nothing less.
One thing I've come to realize since the conclusion of the NFL Draft is that Sanders has a legion of fans unlike anything I've previously experienced. The Browns have had high-profile quarterbacks in the past with ardent supporters — Johnny Manziel, Baker Mayfield and Deshaun Watson, for example. When the radio station in Norman, Okla., began carrying Browns games during Mayfield's rookie season, I thought it was charming. Mayfield was and still is wildly popular around Oklahoma's campus.
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But this is a whole different level of fandom. Sanders doesn't simply bring with him a pocket of collegiate fans. He is a national brand. Part of it is who his father is, part of it is perhaps growing up on television during Deion Sanders' reality show.
Strip out all of the noise and bluster and Shedeur Sanders is extremely likable. He doesn't come off as entitled. He's never publicly complained once about his slide on draft day. He puts his head down and goes to work. He is cognizant of his teammates and careful that his enormous presence doesn't block them out.
In some ways, I can empathize with Shedeur similar to how I empathize with Bronny James.
Both are young men born to Hall of Fame legends just trying to make their path in their father's sport. Bronny never asked to play on his father's NBA team, that was all LeBron's construction and manipulation. Similarly, Shedeur never said he would or wouldn't play for certain NFL teams. That was Deion's doing. The noise always seems to follow Shedeur, even though he isn't the one clanging the cymbals.
'It's a gift and a curse at the same time,' Sanders said of his high-profile family.
Deion wanted to visit Browns training camp last week. Shedeur told him to stay home. I imagine a lot of kids could use the support of a parent the first time they face certain obstacles, but Shedeur was committed to going it alone, knowing what kind of spectacle Deion brings with him.
'I don't want him to come and see me get a couple reps,' Shedeur said. 'Nah, you can't be proud of me right now.'
Shedeur isn't old enough yet to understand that fathers are always proud of their sons, whether they're a starting quarterback in the NFL or fourth string on the bench.
Shedeur will get his big chance when he starts at quarterback Friday night against the Carolina Panthers. It's more winner-by-default than job promotion since Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel are unavailable with minor injuries. Nevertheless, it's an opportunity. That's all Shedeur wanted.
The idea that the Browns are somehow sabotaging Sanders is absurd. They have been searching for a franchise quarterback for 25 years. If one of them tumbles out of the Rocky Mountains and succeeds, nobody will be upset.
Shedeur Sanders and Jimmy Horn had a @CUBuffsFootball reunion at practice today 🙌
(via @Browns) pic.twitter.com/wtBlBHOYV2
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) August 6, 2025
But the Browns also very clearly told you they didn't believe Sanders was worthy of being a franchise quarterback when they passed on him with the second pick in the draft. And then the fifth pick. And then twice more in the second round, twice in the third and once in the fourth before finally coming back up in the fifth to take him.
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If the Browns thought he was ready to lead a franchise, they would've drafted him in the first round. Instead, they traded out and acquired an extra first-round pick for next year, very clearly indicating to the rest of the league they'll wait until next year to solve their 25-year riddle at the game's most important position. Owner Jimmy Haslam even reiterated recently that the Browns' quarterback puzzle may take 'two to three years' to solve.
That doesn't sound like a team convinced the answer is in their building.
Sanders' reps are limited just as Will Howard's were in Pittsburgh before breaking his finger this week. Shedeur's reps are no different than Riley Leonard's opportunities as a sixth-round pick with the Indianapolis Colts. It's the life of a late-round pick just trying to scratch out a place in the league.
The Browns swung open their doors and invited the chaos into their building when they drafted Sanders two rounds after selecting Gabriel. When ranking teams responsible enough to handle this type of noise, the Browns would be at the bottom of the list.
Nevertheless, here we are again. The Browns have a league-leading six quarterbacks under contract and none of them are considered the long-term solution. This is Sanders' opportunity to begin changing their minds.
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