Shedeur Sanders started the year near the top of the pecking order. Now, he’s fighting for a roster spot. Many have speculated why Sanders dropped from the first round to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. One talking point in many arguments is that he rubbed scouts and general managers the wrong way.
Specifically, Sanders’ personality and open confidence have been pointed out as one of the catalysts for the draft slide. But one former NFL star defended the quarterback against the wave of criticism.
Chad Johnson Calls Out ‘Double Standard’ Towards Shedeur Sanders
Speaking on a May 26 edition of “Nightcap,” former Cincinnati Bengals star and Cleveland Browns rival Chad Johnson went to bat for Sanders, calling out the “double standard” levied against him and encouraging the rookie quarterback not to change.
“What people mistake for arrogance or cockiness, which is merely confidence, which is all he’s showing,” Johnson said. “Some people don’t like that. Some people want you to be humble. They want you to dim your light because it makes them uncomfortable.
“Obviously, he’s a quarterback. The quarterback position is supposed to carry themselves a certain way. It’s a way in which he doesn’t carry himself, and he hasn’t been given any grace, as opposed to other quarterbacks that were just as boisterous. … It’s a double-standard, but it is what it is.”
Johnson concluded by saying he hopes that the Browns rookie continues to be himself and not change the way he does things to succeed in the NFL.
“I hope he doesn’t change anything. Just put his head down, do the work you need to do and handle your business, and change the quarterback position, which hasn’t been good for the Browns consistently in a very, very long time,” he said.
Sanders currently finds himself in a free-for-all competition in which the winner gets the starting job, and the losing players could potentially find themselves looking elsewhere.
How Long Sanders May Have To Reach Goals
The Browns quarterback finds himself in a room in which the tide is constantly rising. It isn’t enough to hit just one goal, because the expectations continue to move up for general managers looking to impress fans and owners with Super Bowl runs to keep their own jobs.
As such, Sanders will eventually need to put together a playoff push. However, he will first need to make the roster this summer, attempt to win the starting job by September 2026, and put together a playoff season by the end of 2027 if he wants any longevity with the team.
Of course, those are conservative estimates, as the timeline and goals would have been much different if the Browns didn’t draft him in the fifth round. If he had been taken in Round 1, the timeline for expectations would have increased.
Sliding in the 2025 NFL Draft might have bought Sanders the time to settle in that he would not have gotten as a first-round pick. Either way, the pressure is on him to improve his game.