Before the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders was considered a first-round talent-not necessarily a generational prospect, but he stood out due to the lack of quarterback talent in the 2025 class. Both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders were seen as the most promising quarterbacks available.
Draft day came, and Cam Ward was selected first overall by the Tennessee Titans. Everything seemed fine at that point, but Shedeur Sanders’ name began to fade. In the same first round, Jaxson Dart was picked by the New York Giants, and at the beginning of the second round, the Titans selected Tyler Shough.
Shedeur Sanders’ name wasn’t called until the fifth round, when the Cleveland Browns selected him with the 144th pick. He was the second quarterback drafted by the Browns; they had already taken Dillon Gabriel from the Oregon Ducks in the third round. That was the beginning of Shedeur Sanders’ rough path.
Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman will not play on Friday
During training camp, Shedeur Sanders was given very few opportunities to work with the first-team offense. He was practically sidelined by Head Coach Kevin Stefanski, who did give reps to the other quarterbacks on the roster.
However, in recent days, both Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel suffered injuries, which opened the door for Shedeur Sanders to start this Friday against the Carolina Panthers in the Browns’ first preseason game. Despite being a preseason game, it’s expected to draw high viewership.
The problem is that the Browns have officially announced that both of their starting wide receivers-Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman-will not play, making the situation extremely difficult for Shedeur Sanders, who will be facing the Panthers’ starting defense.
So, with everything stacked against him, Shedeur Sanders will have his golden opportunity on Friday against the Panthers. It’s up to him to rise to the occasion and fight not just for a spot on the Browns, but perhaps to earn a chance with another NFL team.
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