{"id":39165,"date":"2025-12-06T23:49:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T23:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=39165"},"modified":"2025-12-06T23:49:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T23:49:15","slug":"should-the-browns-just-let-shedeur-sanders-play-or-does-history-say-a-5th-rounder-cant-become-a-franchise-qb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=39165","title":{"rendered":"Should the Browns just let Shedeur Sanders play? Or does history say a 5th-rounder can\u2019t become a franchise QB?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<nav aria-label=\"articleLabel\">\n<ol id=\"articleLabel__list\"><\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\">\n<article id=\"arc-Q5ILKFVFQRAT7GLFKKSDLPU46U\" data-type=\"article\">\n<div>\n<figure>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/resizer\/v2\/Z3OWJUHGARGINDI24MXQ6V4R4A.JPG?auth=5b3517d89479bb7503a7017f86c7d8852d740610cf5de077414d8319eff60f42&amp;width=1280&amp;smart=true&amp;quality=90\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, (max-width: 800px) 80vw, 60vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/resizer\/v2\/Z3OWJUHGARGINDI24MXQ6V4R4A.JPG?auth=5b3517d89479bb7503a7017f86c7d8852d740610cf5de077414d8319eff60f42&amp;width=500&amp;smart=true&amp;quality=90 500w, https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/resizer\/v2\/Z3OWJUHGARGINDI24MXQ6V4R4A.JPG?auth=5b3517d89479bb7503a7017f86c7d8852d740610cf5de077414d8319eff60f42&amp;width=800&amp;smart=true&amp;quality=90 800w, https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/resizer\/v2\/Z3OWJUHGARGINDI24MXQ6V4R4A.JPG?auth=5b3517d89479bb7503a7017f86c7d8852d740610cf5de077414d8319eff60f42&amp;width=1280&amp;smart=true&amp;quality=90 1280w\" alt=\"Should the Browns just let Shedeur Sanders play? Or does history say a 5th-rounder can\u2019t become a franchise QB?\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders preps for a snap against the San Francisco 49ers in the second half of play. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p id=\"ONRLF562WJFM7GLRF5PG3KAJJY\">CLEVELAND, Ohio &#8211; Is Shedeur Sanders the answer to the Browns\u2019 perpetual quarterback quest, or just another late-round mirage? That question arose on the latest Terry\u2019s Talkin\u2019 podcast, where cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto and host David Campbell wrestled with Browns fans\u2019 hope and harsh NFL realities.<\/p>\n<p id=\"EQN64ZODMJHFHAJPAUSEFLRH7Y\">The podcast began with an email from listener Tim Isabella that perfectly captured the Shedeur Sanders dilemma:<\/p>\n<p id=\"YMC6EHA2K5H6VCTNEP2B7CPY4Y\">\u201cIn your opinion, should the Browns allow him time to develop as an NFL quarterback? Could Shedeur be the exception of successful top quarterbacks outside the first round?\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"4SNII3RWJBCJVCZ4UZJHAWEVQE\">Pluto has previously shared a sobering statistic: 18 of the top 20 NFL quarterbacks during this 2025 season were first-round picks. That\u2019s not just coincidence \u2014 it\u2019s a pattern that has held true throughout the modern era.<\/p>\n<p id=\"25O3YOTZCFAFXF627IVP47YNLQ\">Yet fans remain captivated by Sanders\u2019 confidence, athleticism, and pedigree.<\/p>\n<p id=\"R3JFYJGMTJESHI4JZ6WXKUXH7E\">This comparison to Tim Tebow, who came out of Florida with Heisman Trophy hype and a large fan base, is interesting. Like Sanders, Tebow entered the league with tremendous leadership qualities and running ability, and an almost mythical reputation. The Denver Broncos surprisingly selected Tebow 25th overall in the 2010 draft.<\/p>\n<p id=\"KCBAIKAQERE63IPDOEHWNLKWLU\">But Tebow\u2019s career was over in three years because he couldn\u2019t pass the football at the standard required of a franchise QB.<\/p>\n<p id=\"D7EJ34GHHFEK7MXDCGYKPIAV3Y\">\u201cThey bet on his intangibles, his leadership,\u201d Pluto said of the Broncos. \u201cBut there has to be tangibles to go with talent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"ZUHXLUR42BH47HUNQ7AKMAUHJQ\">Campbell shared a nugget from last week\u2019s Broncos vs. Commanders Sunday Night Football broadcast. During the game, NBC\u2019s Cris Collinsworth mentioned what current Broncos coach Sean Payton told him this about drafting QBs: You can coach quarterbacks to change a lot about how they play, but a player who took sacks in college &#8212; that\u2019s something a coach can\u2019t fix.<\/p>\n<p id=\"W3AUL5X6U5CIXFXPXOHWPMU7EE\">Sanders absorbed more sacks during his career at Colorado than any other QB in the nation: 52 times in 2023, and 42 times in 2024.<\/p>\n<p id=\"NWUZB4CO4REMHJRI5QFIH4QOK4\">Even so, Pluto sees enough promise to advocate for Sanders getting an extended audition.<\/p>\n<p id=\"EBY6DFUNRZD5JOCD6ZBYTJL36Q\">\u201cI just really &#8230; I\u2019m intrigued. Just just play the kid. Let\u2019s see. I mean, you\u2019re 3-9 again,\u201d Pluto said of the Browns\u2019 record heading into Sunday\u2019s home game against the Titans.<\/p>\n<p id=\"QKL4XPEATFARRN4CPVGTWRYHWY\">Pluto highlighted several positives in Sanders\u2019 development, including his ability to operate under center and command the huddle.<\/p>\n<p id=\"AUAOFWJCTBB3BGV2NHXAYEULDM\">\u201cHe has stayed away from big negative plays, which was a big knock on him there,\u201d Pluto said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"GTPPWGRXDJBJJGX2KLPFW3NTX4\">Pluto also touched on how rushing rookie quarterbacks often sets them up for failure.<\/p>\n<p id=\"FNVFY5URWZEHZJKREEN5YVM4WE\">\u201cPatrick Mahomes started one game as a rookie. Jalen Hurts started three,\u201d Pluto said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"PMWSSNXVWFBC3GPECJE3EZPUEE\">For a 3-9 team already matching last season\u2019s disappointment, giving Sanders the remaining games makes strategic sense. The Browns aren\u2019t competing for playoffs, and gathering data on a potential quarterback of the future offers more value than playing veterans with limited upside.<\/p>\n<p id=\"JQKK5T2IMJA6NGWPCJKXN4HYT4\">The Sanders experiment represents a fascinating inflection point for the Browns.<\/p>\n<p id=\"IMYHJ6DQSZHTLLH44WGA7I45PI\">Can a fifth-round pick with obvious limitations but intriguing upside defy the overwhelming odds against late-round quarterback success?<\/p>\n<p id=\"ACFML65GPNCHLOX5EK33TUQPX4\">Or is this another chapter in Cleveland\u2019s endless search for a franchise quarterback?<\/p>\n<p id=\"KGU3FRVJTZFWHFBXGPO7RXCEZY\">As Pluto succinctly put it: \u201cLet him play.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"5XSBVZTNJNGDHMI4GUVSIECX5A\">Here\u2019s the podcast for this week:<\/p>\n<p id=\"C6ZJ65CCAZCQLNDGCW4NIMNKFI\">If you have a question or a topic you\u2019d like to see included on the podcast, email it to sports@cleveland.com, and put \u201cTerry\u2019s Talkin\u2019\u201d in the subject line.<\/p>\n<p id=\"YLMR5IZLVFC6XOC4WE6P5225AQ\">You can find previous podcasts below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite statistical evidence showing first-rounders dominate the starting QB lineup in the NFL, Terry Pluto says of Shedeur Sanders:  \u201cI\u2019m intrigued enough&#8230; Let him play&#8230; Let\u2019s see.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cleveland-browns"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Should the Browns just let Shedeur Sanders play? 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