Why Shedeur Sanders’ Cleveland Depth Chart Position Is Great For NFL Career
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ NFL career hasn’t exactly started the way he envisioned.
Once projected as a 2025 NFL Draft first-round pick, even as high as the top-10, Colorado Buffaloes star Sanders slipped all the way to day three of the draft. Since then, he’s managed to stay in the national spotlight, right up to the roster cut deadline.
That’s when Sanders got the news that he had made Cleveland’s 53-man roster. He’ll open the season as the team’s emergency third-string quarterback, sitting behind veteran Joe Flacco — Cleveland's starter — and rookie Dillon Gabriel, a third-round draft pick out from the Oregon Ducks.
Third On Cleveland's Depth Chart Could Be Great For Sanders' NFL Career
The Browns traded Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, a move that likely cleared a path for Sanders to stick around.
The fall in the draft was a steep one for a quarterback who put up big numbers at Colorado last season. Sanders completed 74 percent of his passes for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, with just 10 interceptions.
The talent is undeniable, but the situation in Cleveland means his chances of actually seeing the field this year could be slim. Flacco has earned the trust of coach Kevin Stefanski, and Gabriel comes with a higher level of organizational investment.
Even so, a slower start works in Sanders' favor. Scouts weren’t shy about pointing out some concerns during the draft — questions about his leadership, how he handled more formidable defenses, and how his numbers dipped after a scheme change.
Now, instead of being thrown straight into the fire, he’s got the chance to sit back, learn, and ease into the NFL game at his own pace.
For now, Sanders will have to wait his turn. But if he uses this time to learn from Flacco and sharpen his game while competing with Gabriel, Cleveland could eventually find itself with a valuable piece waiting for the right opportunity.
Can Sanders Thrive In Cleveland Like He Did In Colorado?
Sanders has an uphill climb ahead, but being the Browns’ third-string quarterback actually takes a lot of pressure off him. There’s no pressure for Sanders to step onto the field right away, which gives him a chance to learn the NFL game at a comfortable pace.
Stefanski knows how to help quarterbacks figure things out. Back in Minnesota, he worked with young quarterbacks and helped them find their footing. In Cleveland, he did the same with quarterback Baker Mayfield, even if it didn’t work out for the Browns.
Flacco had a career resurgence in 2023, taking the Browns to the playoffs.
Watson? Not so much. With Sanders, Stefanski finally got to pick a quarterback he could really shape.
Both Sanders and Dillon Gabriel competed for the backup role, but for now, Sanders remains behind Gabriel. That’s not a setback — it’s an opportunity.
Impact Of Colorado Coach Deion Sanders On Son Shedeur Sanders
Since his time at Jackson State under his father, Deion Sanders, Shedeur has carried high expectations and constant national attention. Sitting behind two quarterbacks this season lets him step back from the spotlight and focus entirely on his own growth.
Shedeur has been prepared for the attention by "Coach Prime" who has been a media star his entire football career. Coach Prime has passed along the innate desire to compete to his son Shedeur, while reiterating his belief in him.
"I’m proud of my kids, all of them, and I prepared my kids for any and everything that could possibly happen in life and in sports,” said Deion Sanders on Tuesday after his oldest son Shilo was cut from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This “redshirt” year gives Sanders the chance to study the playbook, learn from a veteran like Flacco, and refine the skills that made him a top college prospect.
If he approaches the year with patience and dedication, the Browns could have a quarterback ready to make a real impact when the time is right — and Sanders can finally start writing the NFL story he was meant to tell.
