The Cleveland Browns and Shedeur Sanders experiment doesn’t appear to be going particularly well at the moment. Sanders currently has no active role on the team and is serving as the emergency quarterback. This means he’s allowed to dress for games but can only play in true emergency situations.
Even during his NFL debut, much of the focus wasn’t on his play, but rather on his appearance on the sideline.
“On the sideline, with the backwards hat, sunglasses, and the whole look of it, I would just remind Shedeur, lock in on the game,” ESPN Cleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer said.
On Sunday, NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that Sanders had actually turned down what many would consider a golden opportunity.
“A consensus had been headed. The Baltimore Ravens were planning to select Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round with the 141st overall selection. But, when he found out, he got word back to the Ravens that he preferred not to go to a place where he’d be competing and backing up Lamar Jackson. He wanted to be in a place that he could play,” Schefter said.
The revelation was surprising to many, and it drew harsh criticism from former NFL quarterback Alex Smith, who didn’t hold back when addressing the rookie’s decision.
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“I think this is insane. ... At this point you're in the fifth round. I understand you had higher hopes, but you've dropped to the fifth round and you're thinking about being a starting quarterback the next year. I think this is incredibly shortsighted. ... You want to go to a good organization where you can develop and reach your potential,” Smith said on Sunday NFL Countdown.
There’s little doubt that joining Baltimore — a stable, Super Bowl-contending organization — would have been a smarter move for Sanders’ long-term development. This now appears to be another misstep in his draft process. With this story now public, he’s likely to face even more criticism for turning down a chance to learn behind one of the league’s best quarterbacks.
Sanders is still struggling to find a role in Cleveland. Meanwhile, it seems Baltimore had a development plan in place for him. If he ends up without a job in the near future, he may come to regret passing on the Ravens' offer.