- NFL. Shedeur Sanders gets closer to knowing his NFL team as he takes crucial meeting
- NFL. Deion Sanders gets emotional and reveals the moment he matured after learning a hard truth as a pro athlete
The NFL season is down to its final games, with conference championship games this weekend and Super Bowl LIX on February 9 in New Orleans. Speaking of New Orleans, the Saints are the only one of the seven franchises that will be starting next season with a new head coach that has yet to make a hire. That suggests they could be looking at one of the assistants from the four remaining playoff teams, specifically Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore or Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
One of the most talked about names for NFL head coaching jobs, particularly with the Cowboys and Raiders, was Deion Sanders. However, with both teams hiring new coaches yesterday, Sanders will remain in Colorado as he has stated for months. The only difference now is that he will be without his son, Shedeur Sanders, who is projected to be one of the top three picks in the draft. Teams like the Titans, Browns, and Giants are in desperate need of a quarterback next season, but with only two outstanding prospects - Cam Ward and Shedeur - one of these teams may have to turn to free agency, where options like Sam Darnold or Russell Wilson will be available.
The Browns Emerge as Favorites for Shedeur
Deion Sanders has made it clear that he wants Shedeur to land in the best possible situation. By "ideal," he means a well-run franchise with a history of developing rookie quarterbacks, which would seem to rule out the Browns. If they draft Shedeur, it could be a situation similar to Eli Manning or John Elway, both of whom famously refused to play for the teams that drafted them. But as the saying goes, never say never. According to Jared Mueller of "Dawgs by Nature", the Browns remain undeterred and are ignoring Deion's preferences, stating, "What Deion Sanders wants for his son is not a factor in their evaluation, nor do they care.
While the Browns don't have a bad roster or a bad head coach, their troubled history with quarterbacks would undoubtedly concern Deion. To put things in perspective, the Browns have started 40 different quarterbacks since the franchise returned in 1999, the most in the league. The Bears follow with 30. Only two quarterbacks have played a full season for Cleveland: Tim Couch in 2001 and Baker Mayfield twice (2019 and 2020). In 11 seasons, the team has started at least three quarterbacks, making it far from an ideal destination for Shedeur or any young quarterback.
The Draft Picture Will Clear Up Soon
With less than two months until NFL free agency begins, many teams' plans for the April 24th draft will become clearer. Cam Ward is likely to be the first overall pick for the Titans due to his more well-rounded skill set and superior athleticism compared to Shedeur. This would leave the Browns with the choice of drafting Shedeur or selecting this year's top prospect, Heisman winner Travis Hunter.