The wait is finally over. After nearly two and a half days of patience, Shedeur Sanders has an NFL home in the form of a team many expected would pick him up far earlier than his selection in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns.
Coming onto a team that already has Joe Flacco and drafted Dillon Gabriel before him, the odds are stacked against Sanders already. However, beyond the pressure of the moment, coming to Cleveland far later than the first- or second-round selection most anticipated also comes at a great financial cost.
What Is Shedeur Sanders’ Rookie Contract With the Browns?
Every year, the NFL allocates the guidelines for what rookie contracts will look like for the upcoming class. Understandably, the higher you are taken off the board, the better the offer you get. As a result, Sanders had to face a grim reality.
Originally seen as a potential top-three selection, Sanders could have had a four-year contract worth over $45 million. However, his drop on the board also coincided with a steep decline in his income.
Going to the Browns as a fifth-round pick and 144th overall, his contract is for four years and $4,646,553 — just 10% of what his contract could have looked like. In 2025, that will amount to less than a million, with the exact number standing at $951,638.
However, after two days of anguish, the monetary angle might be irrelevant for the Colorado star.
At the start of the draft process, there was genuine speculation about Sanders as the QB1 of the draft. However, over time, Cam Ward took over that spot, but the son of Deion Sanders was still a virtual guarantee to land in the first three picks.
Then, the weeks leading up to April 24 saw his stock take a hit, opening up the New Orleans Saints at No. 9 and the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 as possible destinations as well. But none of those teams took a swing to add Sanders to their lineup.
Instead, he continued to free fall down, with five quarterbacks taken before him, including names like Tyler Shough and Gabriel at Nos. 40 and 94, respectively, who were viewed as far worse prospects than the Colorado star.
Instead, Sanders is now potentially going to be behind Gabriel on Cleveland’s depth chart after being drafted exactly 50 picks later. For comparison, the Louisville product is going to be earning nearly 1.5 times Sanders’ amount at $6,223,338.
Preview for Eagles vs. Browns Week 2 Preseason Game
Sanders made his NFL preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers last week. However, he will not play today against the Philadelphia Eagles due to an oblique injury.
Dillon Gabriel will make his first appearance in the NFL today against the Eagles and will be under immense pressure to perform. He will share game time with Tyler Huntley, but the former Oregon quarterback should have enough time to leave an impression.
As for the Eagles, Tanner McKee played exceptionally well for them last week. He is unlikely to play against the Browns as the reigning Super Bowl champions have already seen enough good production from him.
The game against the Eagles will be a tough matchup for the Browns, who won 30-10 against the Panthers last week. Gabriel playing well will make things tougher for Kevin Stefanski, and seeing how things pan out will be interesting.
