There’s been a worrying update on Shedeur Sanders’ NFL future as the Cleveland Browns prepare to name their starting quarterback later this summer.
Sanders, who infamously fell to the fifth round of the NFL Draft before Cleveland selected him, is part of a crowded Browns’ quarterback room which also includes Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel and the injured Deshaun Watson.
But according to former Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sanders is not even in the running to win the starting job.
‘I was told from somebody that is in the building that ain’t a player, it’s really coming down to Kenny Pickett or Dillon Gabriel,’ Houshmandzadeh said on the Nightcap podcast.
‘That’s what I was told. But now when you get the reports that Shedeur’s completing seven out of nine passes – is it against starters?
‘Or is it against the threes and the fours, the guys that are going to get released? So it seems impressive when you see the graphic, but is it really if it’s not against the starters or guys that are going to be on the team?’
During a minicamp practice on June 10, Sanders reportedly completed 10 of 12 passes and threw two touchdowns.
However, ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi previously reported that Sanders’ roster spot isn’t ‘guaranteed’ after the Browns were able to select him with the No. 144 pick.
Additionally, Cleveland.com’s Ashley Bastock opined after observing minicamp that Sanders was fourth in the quarterback pecking order – behind Pickett, Gabriel and Flacco in that order.
Nonetheless, head coach Kevin Stefanski was previously full of praise for both Sanders and Gabriel.
‘Those guys are doing great,’ Stefanski said earlier this month.
‘They are both wired to get in early, stay late, put in whatever work is required. They’re sponges in the meeting room, which I think is really fun for me.’
Sanders’ plunge in the NFL Draft came after he chose not to throw for teams at the Combine and reportedly rubbed teams the wrong way during interviews.
And aside from the tricky situation Sanders now finds himself in, his draft freefall also cost him massively in a financial sense.
He signed a four-year, $4.6 million deal with Cleveland that included his $447,000 signing bonus – which represents the only guaranteed portion of the deal.
By comparison, Titans’ No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward signed a four-year, fully guaranteed $48.8million deal with Tennessee.
Sanders had long been expected to be an early first-round pick before his stunning draft slide.
