Shedeur Sanders scratched and clawed his way near the top of the mountain in college, setting up his case to be the best draft pick possible. He seemed to be getting ready for a conventional jump to the pros.
However, in front of the NFL zeitgeist, he slipped back down near the bottom of the mountain. Now, he appears to be winning over some reporters who view him as a serious candidate to lead the Cleveland Browns quarterback competition. One reporter doesn’t believe that is the case.
Browns Analyst Not Buying The Shedeur Sanders Media Hype Just Yet
Speaking in an interview with ESPN Cleveland on June 6, Browns reporter Tony Grossi went to bat for Sanders, staring down reports he believed were false, claiming they were hurting him.
Does the coverage of Shedeur Sanders at Browns OTAs match where he stands in the QB competition? @TonyGrossi doesn’t think so… pic.twitter.com/AlS5hyneXh
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 6, 2025
“I just really believe in what I said, that the media are… doing Shedeur… a disservice by over-inflating where he’s at right now. He’s a developmental quarterback, just like Dillon Gabriel is. He’s not a franchise quarterback, and I think the Browns recognize that. … I just take offense to the reporting that he’s ‘clearly going to be the number one starter,’ or he’s ‘clearly the top backup’ when he clearly is not!”
Of course, by reporting him to be in the mix at the top of the depth chart places added pressure on him. It also places pressure on the Browns to start Sanders before he’s ready, which would be a potential doomsday scenario. Grossi appeared to be hoping to avoid that for the sake of Sanders.
That said, the Browns could end up starting him before he’s ready due to other pressures.
Factors That Could Lead to Sanders Starting Too Soon, Including In-House Pressure
Turning on the news or scrolling on social media only to be met with calls for Sanders to start could be one source of pressure that makes the Browns start the quarterback before he should.
However, other reasons could lead Sanders onto the gridiron sooner rather than later, assuming he makes the final roster. One potential catalyst could be injuries, as with any of the 32 teams in the NFL.
If Joe Flacco or another quarterback wins the job and suffers an undesirable turn of events, the Browns will have little choice. That said, one source of pressure could trump all for the Browns: their owner. If the Browns try to hold off on starting Sanders and owner Jimmy Haslam decides differently, Sanders will be on the field the following game.
As such, even if he doesn’t get the starting job, Sanders could end up on the field sooner rather than later, regardless of what the media says.
Will Sanders lead the team into Week 1?
