NFL teams are no longer in the business of developing quarterbacks. In today’s league, coaches want ready-made products — prospects who can step in immediately without needing time or guidance to grow.
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The days of patiently grooming a young signal-caller are fading, especially in places like Cleveland, the new home of Shedeur Sanders now. Once projected as a first-round pick, Sanders fell to the fifth round and was selected 144th overall by the Browns.
Some have attributed his fall to questions about his talent, attitude, or professionalism. Others — including former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III — believe the league deliberately humbled and blackballed Shedeur. Griffin, in fact, saw Shedeur’s treatment as an injustice.
Griffin doesn’t believe Shedeur landed in the right situation and argues that the Browns are far from ideal for a young quarterback’s development. In his eyes, the NFL set Sanders up to fail, placing him in one of the league’s most unstable QB environments.
Shedeur enters a crowded and uphill battle in Cleveland, where he’s currently fourth on the quarterback depth chart. Ahead of him are veteran Joe Flacco, the experienced Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
NFL fans know that fifth-round quarterbacks rarely see meaningful playing time. Many don’t even make the final roster. And if they do, it’s typically because they’ve impressed during the preseason — often their only real shot to prove they belong.
“It’s an absolutely terrible situation for the QB to be in. This is the thing nobody wants to talk about. Shedeur Sanders is in a situation where the NFL and the Cleveland Browns have set him up to sink or swim in year one. They set him to fail. Shedeur Sanders is the 4th QB on the Browns roster,” said Griffin.
But for Shedeur, the odds are even steeper. As the fourth QB, he won’t get many reps during the preseason, where opportunities are already limited. Barring injuries, he likely won’t take snaps with the starters — or even the second team.
Instead, he’s stuck on the margins, trying to break through in a league that doesn’t give many second chances to late-round QBs. Shedeur would be training alongside players who likely won’t make it to the NFL.
For a quarterback determined to prove he belongs, this is a near-death sentence for his professional aspirations. And barring a major breakthrough, this likely won’t end well.
To simply survive the preseason, the Colorado alum will need to outwork everyone, putting in four times the effort just to stand out. But even that might not be enough.
History offers a rare example in Tom Brady, who was once the fourth quarterback on the New England Patriots’ roster. Bill Belichick saw something special in him — something Brady proved in practice and preseason games — and it earned him a spot.
Shedeur will need someone in the Browns organization to believe in him the same way. He must outperform the rest, forcing the team to see him not just as a roster filler but as the most talented quarterback in the building.
Of course, keeping four quarterbacks usually isn’t practical. It takes away a valuable roster spot from another position. But the Browns are in a unique situation — none of their quarterbacks are on expensive deals. In fact, retaining all four would cost less than $10 million for the year.
That makes it financially feasible. But the real question remains: will they want to? It’ll be up to Shedeur to make the decision easy, and in his favor.
