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Former NFL QB rips Shedeur Sanders.
Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith unloaded on Shedeur Sanders after it was revealed he nixed the Baltimore Ravens selecting him in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sanders had hopes of being a first-round pick, but he fell to the fifth round when the Cleveland Browns took him. Yet, before Week 2, Adam Schefter reported that the Ravens wanted to take Sanders earlier, but he shot that down.
After the report came out, Smith wasn’t happy with Sanders’ decision and felt like it was an insane decision.
.@AdamSchefter reports the Ravens wanted to draft Shedeur Sanders, but he didn't want to go a place where "he'd be competing and backing up Lamar Jackson." 😯
The Sunday NFL Countdown crew debates if that was a smart decision 🧠 pic.twitter.com/SHNd6KzjR1
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 14, 2025
“I think this is insane, if this is true, I think this is crazy,” Smith said on Sunday NFL Countdown. “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 short-sighted. If you’re in this situation, you want to go to an organization that is going to develop you,” Smith added. “Here you have the Baltimore Ravens are the model of stability in the NFL. This regime has been together for how many decades now? Track record of developing quarterbacks, Joe Flacco, Lamar. Instead, you choose the Cleveland Browns because you think you have a chance to start the next year. Mind you, the Cleveland Browns are the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of stability.”
The Browns haven’t had the best track record in developing quarterbacks, which is why Smith is also stunned Sanders turned down the chance to be drafted by the Ravens.
Sanders had a chance to learn from Jackson and develop for a couple of years before trying to become a starting quarterback elsewhere.
Sanders Focused on the Browns
After the report came out that Sanders shot down being picked by the Ravens, he was asked about it after the Browns’ Week 2 loss.
However, Sanders wouldn’t go too deep into it; instead, he says he’s just focused on playing for the Browns.
“My response is I’m focused on the now,” Sanders said. “I don’t really talk about anything in the past, and whatever happened in the past, it is what it is. I’m more focused on how this game went and figuring out how to move forward from here.
“You wouldn’t even believe, my memory doesn’t go back that far. I don’t even remember anything post-draft. I just remember I’m here, I go to practice every day, and it’s a 24-hour rule. … It serves no purpose in my life,” Sanders added.
Sanders has been inactive in both of Cleveland’s games this season, but soon could get a chance to play.
Cleveland Won’t Make a QB Change
The Browns benched Joe Flacco during the team’s blowout loss in Week 2 to the Ravens.
Despite Dillon Gabriel playing well, the Browns plan to stick with Flacco in Week 3.
“I don’t think we did good enough. I think that collectively as a team, we as an offense, we as the coaching staff, all of us didn’t do a good enough job,” Stefanski said about Flacco.
The Browns will host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in Week 3.