As questions swirl around his draft position, new potential landing spots continue to emerge for Shedeur Sanders. Just yesterday, he visited the Pittsburgh Steelers — touring the facility, meeting with head coach Mike Tomlin, and having in-depth conversations with the coaching staff about football. By all accounts, it was a productive and positive visit. The Steelers currently hold the 21st overall pick in the draft.
Advertisement
However, not everyone sees Pittsburgh as Shedeur’s future home. Shannon Sharpe recently suggested a different destination altogether — the New Orleans Saints. He believes the Saints could be a better fit and sees them as a potential surprise suitor in the draft.
During the latest episode of The Nightcap, Sharpe pointed out that New Orleans has a strong receiving core, led by Chris Olave, along with a good Tight End. The Availability of Alvin Kamara in the backfield is also a great help for a young QB like Sanders.
“I believe ideally, he would like to go to New Orleans. I believe that’s where he would really like to go. You look at their receiver core- they got Chris Olave, Rasheed Shakir, Juwaan Johnson- I think that’s the Tight End. Alvin Kamara is still there.”
While Ocho agreed that Shedeur Sanders to the Saints made sense on paper, he doesn’t see it happening. He doubts the former Buffs quarterback will fall all the way to the 9th pick, noting that several teams ahead of New Orleans have a more pressing need at quarterback.
“He’s( Shedeur) not going to be there. He’s not going to be at 9. He’s not getting past the top three. Tennessee needs a QB, the Giants need a QB.”
That said, as Shannon Sharpe pointed out, Sanders landing in Louisiana remains a logical move — especially if the top three teams in the draft opt to address other immediate needs. If that happens, the possibility of Sanders slipping to the Saints becomes more real.
The Titans, who hold the No. 1 overall pick, have reportedly canceled their private workout with Shedeur and now appear to be leaning toward selecting Cam Ward.
Meanwhile, the Browns — still uncertain about Deshaun Watson’s availability for another season — re-signed veteran Joe Flacco, but they need a long-term solution under center. Still, many believe Cleveland is more likely to prioritize elite talent like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter if either is available.
As for Shedeur, while undeniably talented, he hasn’t yet reached the “generational” label that might force a team’s hand at the top of the draft.
The Giants also complicate the picture. Despite signing veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, head coach Brian Daboll is coaching for his job — and needs a player who can contribute right away. Pairing a dynamic playmaker like Travis Hunter with rising star Malik Nabers would give New York’s quarterbacks much-needed weapons.
There’s also some speculation that the Giants might throw a curveball and select running back Ashton Jeanty, adding another wrinkle to their draft outlook. They can still take Sanders for the future and make him sit and learn, but at this point,t no one knows what’s going inside the mind of Joe Schoen. They might just wait for Arch Manning.
Beyond that, the Patriots and Jaguars appear set at quarterback. The Raiders (No. 6) and Jets (No. 7) both recently signed QBs — Geno Smith and Justin Fields — to two-year deals.
While the Raiders could make a surprise move like the Falcons did by drafting Michael Penix Jr., it’s still highly speculative. Many believe Las Vegas would be better off selecting Jeanty, especially with Pete Carroll’s long-standing commitment to the run game.
The Panthers don’t seem to be in the market for a QB either, which brings us back to the Saints. New Orleans may be preparing to move on from Derek Carr after this season. While they could give Spencer Rattler a chance, it’s unlikely they’d rely solely on him. Drafting Shedeur Sanders would give them a potential franchise quarterback for the future — and from that point in the draft onward, no other team has a significant quarterback need until the Steelers.
In that context, the Saints may be the last logical landing spot for Shedeur in the first round — and possibly the most fitting one. Where he lands, that team will be getting the most spotlight-ready QB in the draft, the one who can handle criticism and doesn’t care about the narratives out there.
