The journey to the NFL for Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders has been unique to put it mildly. From playing quarterback for his Hall of Fame father, Deion Sanders, to sliding all the way to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft — his football life has brought him to the brink of his first preseason as a professional football player.
This gives Sanders a complex, but compelling, outlook entering his rookie year.
Sanders Making a Good First Impression on the Field
Since Sanders fall to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft played out on the national stage with even President of the United States of America Donald Trump commenting on it, it is safe to say all eyes have been on Sanders throughout the majority of this offseason.
Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson recently touched on the positive first impressions Sanders has made on the field during the Browns’ offseason workout sessions.
Parson wrote, “Shedeur Sanders shines brightly despite a lack of first-team reps during the Cleveland Browns’ offseason workouts. The rookie continues to showcase his accuracy and decisiveness when throwing from the pocket. While he remains behind third-round pick Dillon Gabriel and veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, Sanders will enter training camp confidently.”
The Brows quarterback situation feels a bit too crowded at the moment with Sanders, Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel on the roster entering July. One, if not two, of these players may not be on the team once Week 1 arrives.
Parson added, “Heading into training camp, Sanders should receive more than third-string reps. Whether he sees first-team reps is irrelevant to an extent. Gradually climbing the pecking order is the key here. He deserves to operate the second-string offense. If he continues to shine, there’s no reason to keep him from receiving first-team reps.”
Those reps should give us some sort of idea where the quarterbacks land in the pecking order entering preseason action.
Parson concluded, “Nonetheless, Sanders has done well and continues to prove he is better than his fifth-round draft position. Training camp will tell us how serious the Browns are about their quarterback room.”
What is the Outlook for Shedeur Sanders in 2025?
The Deshaun Watson situation makes Sanders outlook entering the 2025 NFL season pretty complex.
The Browns organization bringing in four quarterbacks who weren’t on the roster last season feels like a telling sign on how the team feels about Watson moving forward, but he still is technically the highest paid quarterback on the Browns’ roster entering the year.
If Watson isn’t fully recovered from his Achilles injury to start the season, then Sanders’ outlook should be climbing the depth chart.
The first player he’ll need to beat out will be the rookie quarterback the Browns selected before him in this NFL Draft, Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders was the more productive passer in college on a per game basis, but those stats mean nothing any more.
Sanders will have to win where it matters most… on the field.
If he passes Gabriel on the depth chart, then that will be a clear sign the team’s view of him has improved in some capacity compared to when they drafted him on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sanders showcased the processing ability and ball placement that could thrive in Kevin Stefanski’s offensive scheme. If Sanders manages to get his opportunity on the field during the regular season in 2025, one has to wonder if he will ever lose it to another quarterback on this roster.
