Polarizing quarterback Shedeur Sanders is locked in a tense offseason battle with veteran Deshaun Watson to be the Cleveland Browns’ starter under center next season. Sanders had a mixed rookie season as the Browns’ starter after fighting his way up the depth chart.
Shedeur Sanders Receives Glum NFL Future Prediction
In his detailed analysis of the Browns quarterback’s rookie season, The Athletic’s NFL Draft analyst Nick Baumgardner delivered an unflattering prediction about Sanders’ future in the league.
“When I see Shedeur Sanders the hopeful media tycoon, I see the son of an icon. When I see Shedeur Sanders the quarterback, I see Andy Dalton or Teddy Bridgewater,” Baumgardner wrote.
“He’s not necessarily a year-to-year starter in today’s NFL, but he does look like a very capable thrower who, if his grasp of NFL offenses and defensive speed continues to improve, can be a reliable backup for a long time. He projects as the type of backup who can hold the fort for a few weeks if a starter gets hurt.”
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After joining the Colorado Buffaloes alongside his father, Deion Sanders, in 2023, Sanders established himself as one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football and was expected to be a first-round pick during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sanders fell spectacularly on draft night and was finally put out of his misery when the Browns selected him No. 144 overall and the No. 6 quarterback in the class of 2025. Sanders started the season buried in the Browns’ depth chart, behind Dillon Gabriel, who was a fellow rookie and veteran Joe Flacco.
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The dominoes started falling with Flacco being traded to the Cincinnati Bengals and Gabriel sustaining a concussion that promoted Sanders to the team’s QB1 position. In seven games started and a total of eight appearances for the Browns last season, Sanders tallied 1,400 passing yards on 56.6% completion, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, earning a PFN QB Impact score of 56.7.
In a clip posted on his YouTube channel last week, Sanders revealed his grand ambitions for his career in the league.
“I’m not content just being on no team,” Sanders said. “I’m trying to be one of the greatest. You’ve got to be thankful, but know there’s still more. There’s still more.”
Watson presents a unique challenge for Sanders in the Browns’ QB1 battle. The veteran quarterback missed last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon sustained in 2024. Watson’s mammoth $230 million, fully guaranteed five-year contract has reportedly influenced his lead in the QB1 race with Sanders.
