Latest news with #ShedeurSanders
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Insiders Place Shedeur Sanders on Browns Depth Chart
Insiders Place Shedeur Sanders on Browns Depth Chart originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cleveland Browns boast one of the top storylines of the NFL offseason this year with their quarterback room situation. Advertisement With starter Deshaun Watson sidelined after two Achilles tears over the course of three months in October and January, the team signed veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and drafted third-rounder Dillon Gabriel and fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders. All eyes are on Sanders after a historic fall in the draft after he was projected by some to be a top 5 selection, and the competition for Cleveland's starting quarterback is expected to go the distance through the preseason. Some insiders close to the team gave their thoughts on where the competition stands early in the offseason and during voluntary OTAs. "Orange and Brown Talk Podcast" host Dan Labbe suggested Sanders is starting at the bottom of the depth chart. Advertisement "Today, at least, Shedeur Sanders very much looked like the fourth quarterback," Labbe directly said. "Dillon Gabriel was working his way up and down a little bit. Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco were trading things out pretty much all day. In everything we watched, Shedeur Sanders was, I don't want to say an afterthought, but he was definitely the last guy in the pecking order." Jason Lloyd of The Athletic agrees to the point that he said Sanders' work may be cut out for him. "Sanders is very clearly fourth on the depth chart," Browns insider Jason Lloyd of The Athletic wrote for a piece published Wednesday night. "...If Sanders is going to win [the starting job] or even a spot on the roster, he has some hurdling to do. Luckily for him, he has plenty of time." The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner said that ultimately, Sanders should have an edge over Gabriel among the rookies. Advertisement "If there's any Day 3 quarterback with a reasonable line to a starting job," Baumgardner added, "it's Sanders, who joins Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel in a fight to take Deshaun Watson's old job. Flacco is 40, Pickett is on his third team in four years and Gabriel, despite being selected higher in this year's draft than Sanders, is a 5-foot-11 QB with a lot of question marks." Related: Browns Layout QB Plan Early in Offseason Related: Browns WR Enjoys 'Very Smart' Crowded QB Room This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Browns Insider Turns Heads Over Comments on Shedeur Sanders
Browns Insider Turns Heads Over Comments on Shedeur Sanders originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Browns' quarterback competition is heating up with Shedeur Sanders doing everything he can to get an edge. Advertisement Cleveland has four quarterbacks vying for the starting job, but early indications suggest it will come down to veterans Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett. The rookie duo of Dillon Gabriel and Sanders are expected to begin the season on the bench. That scenario doesn't sit well with ESPN Cleveland's Tony Rizzo, who criticized the Browns for what he sees as a lack of investment in Sanders after last month's 2025 NFL Draft. 'The plan is flawed,' Rizzo said. 'You know what they're doing in New York? They're getting Jaxson Dart ready to start. You know what they're doing in Tennessee? They're getting Cam Ward ready to start. Shedeur is an afterthought.' Rizzo added that a young quarterback needs a team to be fully committed from a developmental standpoint. It's a factor he believes Sanders isn't receiving. 'He's got to claw his way through three guys before he gets that chance,' Rizzo said. He also questioned the logic behind drafting both Gabriel and Sanders, calling it a confusing move that clouds the team's long-term direction at quarterback. Advertisement Related: Deion Sanders Makes Huge Announcement on Friday While there is clear intrigue surrounding Sanders, the Browns appear committed to evaluating all options before naming a starter. However, the heat will be Kevin Stefanski and his staff if Sanders keeps cranking out his best work on the field. Related: Deion Sanders' Nike Air Diamond Turf 1 'Ravens' Sells Out in Minutes It's early in the offseason. With mandatory minicamp still weeks away and training camp beginning in late July, there's plenty of time left for Sanders to show why he's worthy of running with the ones. For now, it's all about doing all the right things, which he has done. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Joe Flacco praises Shedeur Sanders, but says being mentor 'not the main focus'
Joe Flacco made it clear Wednesday he wants to be known as more than a potential mentor to the Cleveland Browns' young quarterback room. Flacco, entering his 18th NFL season, said he doesn't have any fundamental issues aiding 26-year-old Kenny Pickett, 24-year-old Dillon Gabriel and 23-year-old Shedeur Sanders as the young trio gets acclimated in Cleveland. Advertisement The 40-year-old simply wants to focus on playing at as high a level as possible after signing a one-year, $4 million deal with the Browns. "It's not really about that. It's just not the main focus," Flacco said at the second day of Cleveland's OTAs Wednesday when asked about being a mentor. "I see myself as a guy that can play in this league. So, if your main focus was just like, 'hey, but I'm going to get you ready,' you're just not taking care of business." How does Flacco envision his potential role as a mentor? He sees himself as more of a lead-by-example type who will benefit from being on the field. "The best way to be a mentor, honestly, is to show people how you go to work and like I said, hope that they pick up on that stuff, but not necessarily force them to pick up on the things that you do," Flacco said. Advertisement 'ANOTHER LIE': Shedeur Sanders disputes custom Rolls-Royce rumor Flacco has been given an early opportunity to test that theory. He appears to have the early edge in the Browns' starting quarterback battle after beginning OTAs as Cleveland's first-team quarterback. Whether that lasts may depend on how Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders progress as the season draws near. Flacco – the Super Bowl 47 MVP and 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year – is welcoming the competition. He also said he is enjoying the vibe in the team's quarterback room and working with younger quarterbacks like Sanders. "Shedeur has been great. I mean, he's a lot of fun to be around in those meeting rooms," Flacco said, per ESPN. "I think so far, there's been at least once in the meeting room that he's made me crack a smile, and that's what it's all about. You know, he's a young guy trying to learn some football and come out here and practice well and do those things. And like I said, he's been a lot of fun. I probably wasn't too far away from playing against his dad, and now I'm playing with him." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Flacco: Mentoring Browns QBs 'not the main focus'
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Why did Shedeur Sanders slide in draft? NFL team execs give blunt views
Listen to some of the key voices from inside NFL draft war rooms. Let them tell us why Shedeur Sanders, projected by plugged-in analysts as a surefire first-round pick, became the man with arguably the most precipitous slide in draft history. What the heck happened? Advertisement The former Colorado quarterback, son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, lasted until the fifth round, when the Cleveland Browns drafted him 144th overall. 'It's never strictly football,' contended a high-ranking decision-maker for an NFL team. 'I think his dad's involvement hurt him,' a high-level executive from another team maintained. 'Some of the things his dad said, I think that weighed on people's minds.' 'It was talent-based,' insisted the top personnel executive from an NFC team. 'There were other factors, but you can't chalk it all up to that.' The three executives who shared those perspectives were among several who agreed to speak to USA TODAY Sports, assessing Sanders' tumble. All spoke on the condition of anonymity, not wanting to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue – which undoubtedly raises questions about the subjectivity of the NFL draft process and by extension the influence of cultural bias. Advertisement 'We liked Shedeur,' added the high-ranking decision-maker, whose team was clearly in the market to draft a quarterback. 'But you can't separate the other stuff from the physical abilities.' The 'other stuff' he alluded to didn't involve any of the major off-the-field issues (such as arrests or substance abuse) that can get prospects removed from a team's draft board. Instead, he expressed concerns about Sanders' leadership style and a flashy persona that included flexing a customized, diamond-studded watch that he wore during games and promoting his personal clothing line, '2Legendary.' 'It's not about being a brand,' the decision-maker added. 'It's about being a teammate and earning a job.' We knew for months that Sanders represented one of the draft's biggest storylines. He was clearly the most polarizing player in the draft, as suggested during and since the three-day event by the barrage of opinions, analysis and yes, conspiracy theories hatched, which followed intense scrutiny and controversy in the weeks leading up to the late-April draft. Advertisement Yet even with that, few, if any, in the NFL universe – including some charged to evaluate prospects for NFL teams – suspected that he would last until the third day of the draft. 'I didn't think 'first-round,'" the decision-maker added. 'But I thought higher than fifth.' 'We never had him as a first-round pick' Of course, where Sanders ranked on the draft board of any given team reflects the traditional crapshoot nature of the draft and nuances that include variations in standards of evaluation for one team versus another. When it comes to the draft, consensus often is not the ticket after the blue-chip players from any given crop are accounted for. Advertisement One high-ranking executive described the marks his team puts on prospects as three separate grades. In addition to grades for pure football and a medical grade (which considers the effect of past injuries), there's an 'intensity' grade that covers intangibles. Standardized cognitive testing used by the NFL, off-the-field issues, culture fit concerns are factors weighed in the latter grade. New York Giants president John Mara general manager Joe Schoen, Jaxson Dart, and head coach Brian Daboll pose for photos prior to the start of the press conference to introduce the Giants first round draft picks. Dart was one of five quarterbacks taken ahead of Shedeur Sanders. Sanders remained on that team's board, but the executive said, 'We never had him as a first-round pick.' However, another high-ranking executive from an AFC team that was not in the market to draft a quarterback projected Sanders as a possible first-round pick because of the premium on quarterbacks. He said Sanders did not rank among the top 32 players on their board for overall grades but projected as a 'capable starter.' Advertisement 'Usually, that guy goes in the first round,' he said. 'As a running back, you'd think second or third round. But it's different for a quarterback. The quarterback position is more valuable. We expected him to go early.' Sanders, he added, was clearly rated as the second-best quarterback prospect on their board after Cam Ward, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Tennessee Titans. As the draft unfolded, though, Ole Miss product Jaxson Dart (Giants, 25th overall), Louisville's Tyler Shough (Saints, 40th), Alabama's Jalen Milroe (Seahawks, 92nd) and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel (Browns, 94th) were all drafted before Sanders. Interestingly, the Browns passed on Sanders in selecting Gabriel. After Day 2 of the draft, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said 'fit comes into play' in explaining why the team passed on Sanders. The next day, Berry rationalized the decision to draft Sanders in the context of value acquired by taking a quarterback at that point in the draft. Advertisement Who knows? If Sanders blossoms into the answer for a franchise that has floundered repeatedly in seeking a franchise quarterback, his bargain-basement price for draft capital and cap dollars (he will count for less than $1 million against the salary cap), it would be quite the counter to the enormous price paid ($254 million guaranteed, three first-round picks) for the bust that is Deshaun Watson, injury mishaps or not. The AFC team's executive who saw Sanders as a first-rounder said that his team had no formal interaction with the quarterback during the draft process, opting not to put resources in evaluating a prospect they viewed as a starter rather than backup. Although they were aware of reports from other teams – such as the story that surfaced during the combine when an assistant coach from another team declared that Sanders was 'arrogant' during what he rated as the worst interview he ever encountered – there were no knocks to document from first-hand experience. Conversely, the executive from an NFC team offered a scathing rebuke of Sanders. He said Sanders refused to interview with his team, which has an established quarterback in his prime. He said that in turning down the interview at the combine, Sanders told one of his team's scouts: 'You've already got a quarterback and you're not picking in the top five.' Sanders' representatives did not respond to a request for comment. An unrealistic view of value It's typical for teams to conduct 15-minute, formal interviews with top prospects at the combine or all-star bowl games, even if they have no plans to draft them. It's an opportunity for teams to become familiar with players and file impressions, perhaps for future reference, such as with free agency or trade talks. Advertisement That exchange, though, also underscores something else that multiple voices from teams expressed: Sanders had an unrealistic view of his value. In any event, in this case the executive said Sanders' refusal to interview wasn't a factor in his projection of the quarterback as a third or fourth-round pick. Nor was Sanders' decision not to work out at the combine a factor, he insisted, while mentioning that in 2024, Caleb Williams didn't work out at the combine before becoming the No. 1 pick overall. MORE: Shedeur Sanders takes high road after NFL draft plunge. His response: gratitude 'We grade the position the same every year,' he said. Advertisement While he praised Sanders for his accuracy and toughness, he considered his arm strength as 'good, not great' and questioned his process in reading progressions. Sanders led the nation with a 74% completion rate in 2024 and in two seasons at Colorado fired 64 touchdown passes (13 interceptions). The executive said the high number of sacks Sanders absorbed (94 as a junior and senior) couldn't be blamed solely on a suspect offensive line. Sanders, he maintained, too often held onto the football for too long while locking in on targets. Although he had reservations about some of the non-football questions, he doubled down on the talent-based assessment by referencing a controversial Cincinnati Bengals pick from the 2017 draft. The executive said: 'Joe Mixon slapped a woman on TV and still got drafted in the second round.' In other words, the executive underscored the notion that talent so often eclipses other factors when it comes to opportunity. Advertisement Still, the standards are typically different for a quarterback pegged to be the face of a franchise. Sanders' supporters, considering race, will point to Baker Mayfield and Johnny Manziel as examples in recent years of flashy white quarterbacks who became first-round picks. By the same token, one of the executives pointed to a Black quarterback, Cam Newton, like Mayfield a No. 1 pick overall, as a cautionary example. The son-of-coach score usually carries weight Before he was drafted in 2011, Newton raised eyebrows when he maintained that he wanted to become 'an entertainer and an icon.' More recently, Newton fueled buzz by stating that when he got to the Carolina Panthers, he arrived to a 'locker room of losers.' Advertisement It's a stretch to project that mentality on Sanders. But one team decision-maker contends that the quarterback's persona rubs him as a 'look-at-me' form of selfishness – even in an age where players are more prone to social media exploits and creative on-the-field celebrations. Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders with son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders. 'The quarterback's already getting the money and attention,' the decision-maker said. 'They don't have to make more attention. It doesn't play well with your team. 'All the red flags are there. If it was a different position, it probably wouldn't have the same level of importance.' For Sanders, it's even deeper than being a quarterback. Another layer of standard is attached to his famous father. Advertisement This seems a bit sticky. On one hand, you'd think that prospects (Shedeur's older brother, Shilo, a safety, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) raised by one of the greatest athletes of his era would have traits instilled in them that would aid in their pursuit of pro football careers. And throughout their lives, they've been exposed to resources (like Shedeur calling Tom Brady for advice) that many could only dream of. Also, the father happens to be an immensely successful college coach. Typically, son-of-coach scores well on the NFL evaluation meter. Yet one NFL executive viewed Coach Prime's impact on Shedeur's draft process as a detriment. Sure, some might fret about the possibility of the Hall of Famer publicly skewering a team if adversity strikes with his son. Deion has spoken in the past about teams he wouldn't want Shedeur to play for and opined on why some teams repeatedly pick high in the draft. Yet the team executive maintains that Shedeur's draft stock suffered because of the approach to the draft process. Advertisement MORE: Shedeur Sanders' dramatic NFL draft slide seems deeper than pure football 'I think he had some bad advice from his father,' the executive said. 'He needed a traditional agent like other players. He and his dad, they felt like they didn't need that. I think that affected him.' That's debatable, to some degree. Yet an agent might have urged Shedeur to employ a different strategy for dealing with teams during the draft process. Shortly after he was drafted, Sanders, without being specific, owned up to regrets. 'I feel like in life, there's always a way I can improve,' he told Cleveland media during a conference call. 'I'm able to improve. And some things that I (did) seemed right at the time. I could've went about it in a different way.' Advertisement The executive whose team pegged Sanders as a first-round pick said he hopes the young quarterback will learn a valuable lesson about humility from the draft process. 'You're not your dad,' he added. 'You don't have that type of ability.' Another key executive also threw some shade at the Hall of Fame father. 'The way he reacted as the draft unfolded, I thought he handled himself well,' he said of Shedeur. 'The best thing to happen might be to get away from his father and be on his own.' Then again, with so many strong opinions about his ability, traits and process, Sanders embarks on his NFL journey with no shortage of motivational fuel to prove that some particular NFL power players were so wrong. Advertisement Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell This story was updated to add new information. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shedeur Sanders' draft slide: NFL executives are blunt about reasons
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Deion Sanders addresses son Shedeur's NFL draft experience: 'It did hurt'
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders gave his first extensive remarks about his quarterback son Shedeur's disappointing NFL draft experience, saying the ordeal 'did hurt' him emotionally and disputed claims that Shedeur acted unprofessionally in pre-draft interviews with NFL teams. Sanders spoke about it in a podcast on Friday with former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel after dealing with an unspecified health issue in recent weeks at his estate in Texas. His son was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round in April after previously being projected by experts as a first-round pick. Advertisement 'When you sit up there and say something like he went into a meeting unprepared, like dude, Shedeur Sanders, who's had six different coordinators?' Deion Sanders said on the podcast. He said claims about his son's professionalism were untrue and said to 'stop lying.' 'They want to create these narratives and create these stories and then attach them to a kid that ain't never done nothing wrong,' Sanders said. One rumor was that Shedeur wore headphones to a team meeting. Sanders shot that down. 'You gonna tell me he had on headphones, Shedeur?' Deion Sanders asked. 'Anybody know my son understand he's a professional. Like he's gonna go into a meeting with headphones on?' Advertisement Samuel told him Shedeur is a 'dawg' who would 'rise to the top.' Sanders then admitted how the situation made him feel. 'It did hurt,' Sanders said. 'It did hurt.' But he said two of his sons are using their NFL draft disappointments as motivation and that both were 'built' for this situation. His middle son Shilo, a safety, was not drafted and instead signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent. Deion Sanders cited the case of legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady as an example after Brady was selected in the sixth round of the draft in 2000. 'The Bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise, so it was some foolish stuff that went on, but you know what? That gave them something that they needed ... like that edge that Tom had,' Sanders said. Advertisement MORE: Joe Flacco praises Shedeur Sanders, but says being mentor 'not the main focus' Sanders, 57, has been out of the media spotlight since the NFL draft in April and suggested it was related to a health issue. 'I hope you're feeling better,' Samuel said to Sanders. Sanders said 'what I'm dealing with right now is at whole nother level' but said he's coming back after losing about 14 pounds. He previously had several surgeries to deal with blood clots in his legs. His Buffaloes team opens the season on Aug. 29 at home against Georgia Tech. Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deion Sanders addresses NFL draft ordeal, mentions health issue
