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Potential Cleveland Browns' draft target Shedeur Sanders sounded off on the pre-draft criticism he's received.
Shedeur Sanders fired back at his critics ahead of the NFL Draft, sending a message to teams like the Cleveland Browns that he’s more than capable of being their franchise quarterback.
Sanders’ draft stock has taken a hit in recent weeks. Once viewed as a likely top-three pick and a top prospect alongside Cam Ward, the Colorado quarterback has seen increased scrutiny. Some of the criticism is worth examining, while other takes border on the absurd.
Sanders sounded off on some of the criticism he’s received during an interview on NFL Network with Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
“It’s extremely fun. It’s just funny to see what they come up with next,” Sanders said. “At first it was that his arm wasn’t strong — I had a lot of touchdowns in my college career. Then it was I pat the ball — that wasn’t a thing before pro day. So, I don’t get in trouble off the field, so it’s kind of hard for them to create storylines for the media. Keep that [energy] going, though. It’s just gonna be fun with the next story.”
Browns Unlikely to Pick Shedeur Sanders at No. 2 in NFL Draft
The Browns had a significant presence at the Colorado Pro Day, taking in both Sanders and his Heisman teammate Travis Hunter. The Cleveland contingent liked what they saw from Sanders during the workout.
“Yeah, no concern on the arm strength for sure,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He can make all the throws. I thought the velocity was really good. I thought he put the ball again on a rope, on a couple of those throws, which is good to see it. And you can see some of those throws on tape, and then you get to confirm it in person.”
While the praise is solid from the Browns’ skipper, Sanders looks like an unlikely pick at No. 2 for Cleveland. The Browns have recently met with quarterbacks slated to go later in the draft — like Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe. Additionally, the odds on Hunter or Penn State pass-rusher going at No. 2 have skyrocketed.
Shedeur Sanders Might be Open to Slide in Draft
Getty ImagesShedeur Sanders could slide in the NFL Draft.
The draft always features some uncertainty, and Sanders’s fate is still unknown. But ESPN analyst Louis Riddick — a close friend of Deion Sanders — said that Shedeur might be open to staying on the board a bit longer than expected.
“In some respects, there are other teams that I hope he goes to, that I think would be good fits for him,” Riddick told cleveland.com. “I do feel that way. I do feel like him going to a place like New Orleans or going to a place like Pittsburgh or Las Vegas, I think they would be very good fits for him.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen — but if he does slide, it’s not the end of the world. It could wind up being better for you. That’s the point.”
The New Orleans Saints are currently the favorite (plus-270) to land Sanders, per Odds Shark. The Saints pick No. 9. The Pittsburgh Steelers (plus-410) and New York Giants (+410) are next. Sanders recently visited with the Steelers, who are also investigating Aaron Rodgers.
J.R. DeGroote covers the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com. He graduated from Arizona State and has decades of experience in digital media with previous stops at SBNation and Bleacher Report. He has won multiple state, regional and national honors for sports reporting and photography. More about J.R. DeGroote
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Flacco has agreed to a one-year deal with the Browns, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN reports. Per the report, Flacco's deal is for $4 million, though the veteran QB could earn up to $13 million with incentives factored in. Flacco -- who played for the Colts last season -- is thus in line to return to Cleveland, where he won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023. Bringing back the 40-year-old bolsters a signal-caller corps that also includes Deshaun Watson -- who could miss most or all of the 2025 season due to an Achilles injury -- and 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett. It's also quite possible that the Browns will select another QB in the upcoming NFL Draft, but as things stand now, Flacco is in a position to compete with Pickett to be the team's starter in Week 1.
