The Cleveland Browns selected Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL Draft back in April. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the rookie quarterback as he continues to adjust to a professional system. At times, Sanders has even been seen throwing to equipment staff during practice, as he hasn’t received many reps with the main unit.
“Shedeur Sanders apparently is throwing not to receivers but to equipment guys. They have got equipment guys snapping him the ball and then also running the routes. Mahomes is throwing to Kelce, Shedeur is throwing to equipment guys,” ESPN Cleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer said.
Despite not getting the opportunity to prove himself on the field yet, Sanders has made a strong impression off it—especially in the local community. As a rookie, he’s already more active in community outreach than most first-year players.
“I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never seen what Shedeur Sanders is doing this early on in a player’s career,” Cecil Shorts said on Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan. “I’ve never seen that before, I’ve never seen a rookie come into the league and before he even played a snap is already in the Garden Valley Projects … All the things he’s doing (in the community). It’s a special thing he’s doing, that’s not normal.”
Still, Sanders’ future with the Browns remains uncertain—whether due to a potential trade or a roster decision next season. With that in mind, a move could happen as early as this year’s trade deadline.
“The Browns could trade Sanders — along with perhaps a fourth- or fifth-round pick if necessary — and head into next season with Gabriel and Richardson both on the roster at affordable numbers. Richardson’s $34 million rookie deal carries a $9.2 million salary cap hit in 2025 and a $10.8 million cap hit in 2026,” Heavy.com’s Max Dible wrote.
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A move to Indianapolis would offer Sanders a fresh start. There’s no guarantee the Daniel Jones experiment will work out, and for Sanders, this would be an ideal opportunity to fight for a future starting role. While both sides could benefit from such a deal, Sanders especially would gain a real shot at playing meaningful games in the NFL.