Ex-NFL QB Makes Bold Claim that Browns’ Shedeur Sanders is Being Set Up To Fail

The draft-weekend fall of Shedeur Sanders gained attention far beyond the football world, such was the shocking nature of the slide. Pre-draft buzz about a top-three pick, the five quarterbacks taken ahead of him, the prank call; there were so many layers to the embarrassment Sanders suffered as his draft stock crashed.

Finally, in Cleveland, Sanders’ suffering may not yet be over. According to former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, Sanders has been “set up to fail” in Cleveland, with the player facing an uphill battle to make an impact.

Robert Griffin III Claims Shedeur Sanders Has Been ‘Set Up to Fail’

Life for a backup quarterback can be a frustrating one. Limited practice reps with the team’s best players and a lack of in-game opportunities to impress can make it nearly impossible to prove oneself.

In the opinion of Griffin, that’s the situation that Sanders will find himself in during his rookie year, having landed in the fourth spot on the Browns’ depth chart. That number will likely be whittled down to three by September, with Kenny Pickett the player expected to be moved on. That would still leave Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel ahead of Sanders, a situation that Griffin doesn’t like.

In a recent social media post, Griffin argued that Sanders had been “set up to fail” in his first year, but stated his belief that the player could overcome his situation.

Shedeur Sanders is the most popular Rookie in the NFL and is being set up to fail in year 1.

Here’s the reality:

-1st Rd QB tape, but fell to the 5th Rd

-4th QB on roster

-Will get limited practice reps behind 3 QBs, including a Super Champ and Super Bowl MVP, the Cleveland… pic.twitter.com/AGXQ76Sb8V

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 5, 2025

It should be noted that the post was a teaser to Griffin’s podcast, so his words were likely designed to capture attention.

Has Sanders Landed in a Difficult Situation?

Before the draft, if it became known that Sanders would end up on the Browns, with Flacco, Pickett, and Gabriel for company, there would have been little surprise. If anything, people would have wondered why the Browns were about to draft Gabriel, after taking Sanders early.

Fast-forward a few weeks, and that same situation looks very different. Sanders is arguably still the best quarterback on the roster, but is likely fourth on the team’s depth chart. It’s clear that no team wanted a backup quarterback with the level of media attention that Sanders attracts, which led to his slide.

While Sanders will likely still be confident of usurping Gabriel and Pickett in year one, he should be aware that his position on the team is fragile. Even those who doubted Sanders’ ability viewed him as a Day 2 prospect, so why did it take so long for him to be drafted?

In the fifth round, a team can take a gamble on a player that it might end up cutting before his debut. A third- or even a fourth-round pick would have been a significant enough investment to warrant keeping Sanders around, even if things got difficult. Sanders’ fifth-round draft capital should allow the Browns to cut ties with him if his presence becomes an issue.

While it may sound ridiculous to suggest that Cleveland would do that, it would have sounded even more ridiculous to predict Sanders being drafted in the fifth round. While a high-potential talent, Sanders must be viewed through the lens of his Day 3 draft capital, as that’s how the NFL saw him. The player has some work to do to prove himself on his new team, but 143 draft picks would suggest that the blame lies with Sanders himself.