It is hard to feel great about the Cleveland Browns' 2025 offseason when your coaching staff has taken a look at two rookie quarterbacks and still believes Joe Flacco is your best answer. Two weeks into the season, and the most consistent piece of the 40-year-old's game is that you know at least 2-3 balls are being tossed up for grabs each game. Leading us to the most frustrating addition of Cleveland's offseason in Shedeur Sanders. Since joining the Browns, the third-string quarterback has served as an endless source of speculation and changing narratives with each news cycle.
These stories rarely shine a kind light on Cleveland and have left fans wondering why the pick was made in the first place. Being unable to beat out Flacco or Dillon Gabriel is hardly encouraging for a player who has become a household name. Leading to the unavoidable truth that this selection was a mistake. If you're not going to start Sanders, there is zero reason to have him on a rebuilding roster. It is simply a media distraction for a team that already earns its fair share of heat.
The Browns Appear to Have Made a Mistake Drafting Rookie Quarterback Shedeur Sanders
It is incredibly important to provide context here that Sanders' current depth chart spot doesn't for sure indicate his talent level. This is the same front office and coaching staff that had Baker Mayfield in the building and thought they would be better off giving Deshaun Watson a historic contract while jettisoning Baker. This isn't a group of decision makers who exactly have the best record at the position.
However, there is also no denying that the Browns opting to draft Sanders and not give him a chance is the absolute worst scenario. It is why Tim Tebow or Colin Kaepernick were unable to continue their careers in a backup role. When you reach a certain level of fame but have limited talent, the production vs. tolerance balance quickly falls in the wrong direction.
This isn't to say Sanders has done anything wrong; rather, it is pointing out the league's history of shying away from backups who are going to become a story. Sanders not being able to fight his way up the depth chart while still remaining a distraction is an incredible frustration for a weary fan base.
Whether it is stories about whether or not Sanders can run the entire offense, or draft speculation about the signal caller turning down backing up Lamar Jackson, it seems that each week brings some fresh distraction for a team that is already facing an uphill battle.
The Browns would've been wise to stick with Gabriel and Flacco. It's the way they were going to manage the situation. Sanders' fame is simply too great to have him as the third-string quarterback while your team is winless on the season. It is simply a distraction you willingly signed up for in what appears to be a clear 2025 offseason miss for Cleveland.