Shedeur Sanders has earned some good grades for his performances at Cleveland Browns' OTAs, but one insider believes it may not be enough to earn him a spot on the final roster.
Sanders came to the Browns as a fifth-round pick after a big tumble down the NFL draft board. The former Colorado quarterback was once projected as a Top 5 pick, but took an unexpected slide before finally landing in Cleveland with the No. 144 overall pick.
As reporter Brad Crawford of CBS Sports noted, Sanders now faces an uphill battle to earn a spot on the final roster in Cleveland.
"It's a number game for Sanders, who's at the bottom of the quarterback pecking order within a crowded room going against an obvious frontrunner, a veteran and another rookie," Crawford wrote. "With an unknown ceiling and light acquisition cost as a fifth-round pick, the Browns -- frankly -- aren't sure yet what they have in Sanders and need to see more."
Crawford added that the Browns had enough faith in Sanders to take him in the fifth round, even after adding another rookie in Dillon Gabriel, but Browns general manager Andrew Berry did not plan to draft Sanders.
But Berry also noted there were pressures facing the other Browns quarterbacks, including veteran Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. The team could likely have the chance to put Sanders through to the practice squad, which could give the team more time to evaluate and potentially bring him to the active roster later in the season.