When the Cleveland Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, even the team’s owner, Jimmy Haslam, was surprised and not in a good way. Speaking candidly to the media, Haslam admitted he didn’t support the selection and placed full responsibility on General Manager Andrew Berry.
The message was clear: Sanders wasn’t Haslam’s guy. This lack of unity at the top sends troubling signals for any rookie quarterback, especially one entering a franchise with a long, grim history of failed quarterback experiments.
Sanders entered the draft with a mix of promise and controversy. Despite stellar stats at Jackson State and Colorado, he slid unexpectedly deep into the draft.
Rumors swirled some pointed to his interview demeanor, others suggested his drop was part of a larger pushback against his father, Deion Sanders, and the influence he wields in football circles. The situation became so prominent that it even caught the attention of the White House. Fair or not, Shedeur became a symbol not just of unfulfilled hype, but of the NFL’s complicated politics.
Focused and Grounded, Sanders Battles Browns’ Turmoil and Quarterback Instability Head-On
Despite the noise, Sanders has stayed composed and focused. He’s made efforts to connect with the Cleveland community and hasn’t bristled at being fourth on the depth chart. Instead, he’s shown maturity and confidence, telling reporters he knows who he is.
His father revealed that Shedeur even asked him to skip practices so he could focus, saying, “Let me get where I want to be.” The younger Sanders is clearly trying to carve out his own space one did not define by hype, family, or friction.
Shedeur Sanders (NFL)But the odds are steep. The Browns are notoriously unstable at the quarterback position. Since returning to the league in 1999, the franchise has started 40 different QBs, with only three completing a full season.
The current depth chart is a mess: two rookies, an aging Joe Flacco, a struggling Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson, who’s battling both injury and image issues. In that environment, even a talented and focused quarterback would face enormous barriers to success.
Preseason Crucial for Sanders Amid Browns’ Instability and Front Office Uncertainty This Fall
Sanders’ most immediate shot to prove himself begins Aug. 8, when the Browns open their preseason slate against the Carolina Panthers. He’s expected to play in all three preseason games, which could either earn him a roster spot or send him job-hunting before Week 1.
With General Manager Berry’s future uncertain, and head coach Kevin Stefanski also on the hot seat, Sanders’ career could be dramatically affected by decisions made in a front office that may not even be around much longer.
Shedeur Sanders isn’t just trying to make a team he’s navigating a franchise identity crisis. In a city desperate for stability at quarterback, Sanders is hoping to bring it. But instead of being welcomed as a potential solution, he’s already facing resistance from within.
His story may ultimately say less about whether he can succeed and more about whether the Browns can ever stop undermining the very players they need most. In the end, the real problem might not be Sanders at all it might still be Cleveland.
