- NFL. Shedeur Sanders responds to Browns speculation: Will Cleveland cut him from roster?
- NFL. Shedeur Sanders' sister breaks the Internet with bold health reveal while he gets into car drama
Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders may have set social media ablaze this week with his eye-popping performance at Cleveland Browns OTAs, but NFL insiders are urging fans to pump the brakes on declaring him the franchise's future just yet.
According to a viral stat graphic circulating online, Sanders went 7-for-9 with three touchdowns during Wednesday's practice session.
That kind of accuracy and poise from a fifth-round draft pick naturally sparked enthusiasm across Browns Nation. But as NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero pointed out on The Rich Eisen Show, there's some important context to keep in mind.
"If you said what type of quarterback is going to thrive in that environment, in OTAs, where it's a lot of 7-on-7, there may be some 11-on-11 mixed in, but there's no rush. Really no rush. There's, you know, no helmets, you're trying to play within rhythm. It's going to be a guy who's really really accurate, and Shedeur absolutely is," Pelissero said.
Pelissero emphasized that the OTA format is designed to highlight quarterbacks with high accuracy and rhythm-based timing, two strengths Sanders has consistently displayed since his breakout year at Colorado under his father, head coach Deion Sanders.
Sanders impresses, but depth chart reality remains
Local Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot added even more perspective during Thursday's episode of the Orange and Brown Talk podcast. According to Cabot, while Sanders' stats were real, they came entirely from 7-on-7 drills-he hasn't even taken a single snap in full 11-on-11 team drills yet.
"Shedeur Sanders, as we so aptly told everybody yesterday, did not take one rep in 11-on-11s. He has to come in here as the fourth-string quarterback and work his way up that depth chart," Cabot said.
Sanders is currently listed behind Joe Flacco, Jameis Winston, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, all of whom bring a mix of experience and athleticism to the quarterback room.
While the Browns remain hopeful that Sanders could be a developmental gem, he's starting from the very bottom of the depth chart.
Still, the buzz is undeniable. Sanders, who was projected by some as a potential first-round pick before sliding to Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, has consistently drawn media attention with both his poise and pedigree.