Mandatory minicamp has begun for nearly every NFL team, including the most polarizing one at the moment-yes, the Cleveland Browns-where a fierce quarterback battle is unfolding. Right now, everything is uncertain on the team led by head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The Browns’ camp is drawing major attention because one of the quarterbacks competing for the starting job is the highly publicized Shedeur Sanders, who has been in the sports spotlight for years. One of the main reasons? His father is none other than NFL legend Deion Sanders.
Shedeur Sanders threw for over 4,000 yards in his final year in the NCAA and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (2024). Many believed that would be enough for him to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, but surprisingly, he slid all the way to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns finally picked him up.
Shedeur Sanders Is competing impressively
Had Shedeur Sanders been taken in the first round, he could have entered the NFL as a bona fide star. But that didn’t happen. Currently, he’s viewed as the fourth option on the Browns’ depth chart-behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
Even so, Sanders is mentally tough and could write a story in the NFL that makes the other 31 teams regret passing on him. At the start of the Browns’ minicamp, he spoke about his mindset:
“Life is just based on how you view different things,” Sanders said. “You can see it as ‘you’re not getting reps’ in a negative way, or you can say, ‘when it’s my turn, let’s be ready, let’s warm up, let’s get going,’ so there are no excuses. When you get out there, nobody cares how many reps you had. When you’re in a game, nobody cares if you had more or fewer snaps than someone else. The only thing that matters is production-and that’s the key. When you’re on the field, you have to produce.”
He also spoke about the competition he’s facing from his teammates for the Browns’ starting job:
“My goal is to be the best teammate and as positive as possible,” Sanders said. “I see things as ‘I’ve got time.’ Time to grow, mature, understand defenses, and get great advice from the veterans in the locker room. I view it as a positive-as a chance to truly understand the game-and when it’s my time to play, it’ll be my time. I’m not looking too far ahead. I’m focusing on each day in practice… I’m focused on the little things, and over time, the big things will come.”
This story is far from over, and while Sanders has shown promise in practices so far, there are still many chapters left in this quarterback saga.
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