The Cleveland Browns traded up in the fifth round of the NFL Draft to land Shedeur Sanders, likely aware that another team was waiting to pounce.
Sanders’ much-discussed slide from a projected early first-rounder to No. 144 overall ended in Cleveland. Multiple teams had interest in Sanders as a developmental prospect, including the previously reported Baltimore Ravens and the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, according to former NFL MVP Cam Newton.
“My source tells me that it wasn’t just the Baltimore Ravens. It was three teams. The Cleveland Browns, the Philadelphia Eagles, and it was also the Baltimore Ravens,” Newton said on his podcast recently. “The Philadelphia Eagles — Jalen Hurts has been nothing less than the model citizen. And of course, he’s thinking to himself like, you’re talking about development, you’re talking about preparing him to be a potential starting quarterback.”
The Eagles held pick No. 145. The Browns traded two late-round picks to the Seattle Seahawks to leapforg Philly.
Shedeur Sanders Unlikely to See Field With Browns
Both the Ravens and Eagles already have entrenched starters — two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and Hurts — meaning Sanders likely faced a long road if he ended up with either franchise.
“All money ain’t good money,” Newton said. “He knew he wouldn’t play unless Lamar or Jalen got hurt.”
Still, his path in Cleveland looks similar. He enters the season as the No. 3 quarterback behind 40-year-old Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. The former Colorado star is not expected to see the field this year.
“For all the football conspiracy theorists out there trying to decode the real reason the Cleveland Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders, here’s the truth: There is no big secret. The pick wasn’t some master plan from ownership,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported. “It was GM Andrew Berry’s call, rooted in his belief that Cleveland’s coaching staff could bring out the best in Sanders and help him grow into an NFL quarterback. It will be a process, and the Browns want to keep developing him.
“Don’t plan on seeing the fifth-round pick on the field this season unless things get really weird. Cleveland believes in Joe Flacco’s experience and Dillon Gabriel’s development as the backup.”
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Dodges Question on Draft
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that the Ravens had planned to select Sanders in the fifth round of the draft, but the former Colorado standout told Baltimore not to take him. According to Schefter, Sanders made it clear he didn’t want to join a roster with Jackson and settle into a backup role.
Sanders was asked about the report following Cleveland’s loss to Baltimore and declined to give clarity.
“My response is I’m focused on the now,” Sanders said. “I don’t really talk about anything in the past, and whatever happened in the past, it is what it is. I’m more focused on how this game went and figuring out how to move forward from here.
“You wouldn’t even believe, my memory doesn’t go back that far. I don’t even remember anything post-draft. I just remember I’m here, I go to practice every day, and it’s a 24-hour rule. … It serves no purpose in my life.”
The Browns face the Green Bay Packers this week. Flacco remains the starter, although calls are beginning to grow for Gabriel to take over.
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