No quarterback battle across the NFL is drawing as much intrigue as the one in Cleveland. While rookie Shedeur Sanders continues to be the center of attention during Browns training camp, it’s unlikely he’ll be the Week 1 starter against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Viewed as a low-cost project, Sanders arrives with high expectations, both from his impressive college résumé and the narrative that followed him through the draft. And while many would assume the rookie is eager to take the field as soon as possible, Sanders offered a surprising statement that speaks volumes about his character and professional mindset.
Shedeur Sanders Is Not Looking To Start Right Away in the NFL
When a rookie enters the NFL, especially a quarterback with the college success and media spotlight that Sanders had, it’s usually expected that he’ll be eager — even anxious — to get on the field and earn the starting job. It’s rare to hear a player express a desire to take his time and develop, but that seems to be the exact approach the former Colorado QB is embracing.
Speaking to reporters, Sanders said he’s not desperate to play right away and values the opportunity he’s getting to learn and grow his game, something few expected to hear from a player often labeled as arrogant or cocky during the pre-draft process. That perception was one of the reasons many believe he slid from a projected first-rounder to a fifth-round pick.
Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders said he’s focusing on little things, not big things (like winning starting job). Said he has time. pic.twitter.com/vxBgRentgi
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) June 10, 2025
“My goal is to be the best teammate and to be as positive as I can be. So in every aspect, I would view things as I got time. I got time to be able to grow and mature and be able to understand the ins and outs of the defenses and be able to get the good insight from the bench in the room,” Sanders said.
The Browns’ quarterback room currently features veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, along with rookie Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted before Sanders. But no one draws more intrigue from the media and fans than Sanders. There’s a certain spark about the rookie who, just a few months ago, was the target of heavy criticism that ultimately hurt his draft stock.
Sanders’ current approach might be mistaken for a lack of ambition, but it should be viewed differently. The message from all 32 NFL teams during the draft was clear: he wasn’t as ready or as valuable as he may have believed. And so far, Sanders has responded in the best way possible: by showing humility, embracing the process, and presenting himself to the media as a player focused on learning and growth.
“So I look at it as a plus, I got time to actually be able to really have a great understanding and whenever it’s time for me to play, it’ time for me to play,” Sanders added. “But I’m not looking too far in the future and all that, I’m looking about every day in practice, because I had some misses out there today that you know, we got to go in there right now.”
As he continues to develop, the battle for the Browns’ starting quarterback job is heating up heading into the preseason. According to Sanders, the atmosphere among the contenders remains friendly. But inevitably, one quarterback will win the job, while another will likely be traded or even cut, and Sanders seems confident that, in either scenario, he won’t be the one chosen just yet.