ExtremeRavens Posted 9 hours ago Posted 9 hours ago Shedeur Sanders, Baltimore Raven? It almost happened, according to a new report. The Ravens were planning to pick the former Colorado quarterback in the fifth round with the 141st overall selection before Sanders let it be known that he didn’t want to be on a roster with superstar Lamar Jackson and not have a path to playing time, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter citing anonymous league sources. Baltimore instead drafted Alabama A&M offensive lineman Carson Vinson. Three picks later, Cleveland ended Sanders’ stunning fall by selecting him 144th overall, two rounds after picking former Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Sanders, who played for his father and Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders at Colorado, is currently listed third on the Browns’ depth chart behind Gabriel and 40-year-old former Ravens star Joe Flacco, who will start Sunday in his return to Baltimore. Sanders likely would have been QB3 as well in Baltimore, which signed former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush before the draft to a two-year, $6.2 million deal to be Jackson’s backup. “If this is true, I think this is crazy,” former NFL quarterback Alex Smith said of Schefter’s report during ESPN’s “NFL Countdown” on Sunday. “You’re in the fifth round. I understand you had higher hopes, but you dropped to the fifth round, and you’re thinking about being a starting quarterback the next year? I think this is incredibly short-sighted. If you’re in this situation, you want to go to an organization that is going to develop you. “Here we have the Baltimore Ravens, the model of stability in the NFL. This regime’s been together for how many decades now, and actually has a track record to develop quarterbacks. Joe Flacco, Lamar. Instead you choose the Cleveland Browns, because you think you have a chance to start the next year? And, mind you, the Cleveland Browns, who are on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to stability. This is the same organization that walked away from Baker Mayfield as the No. 1 pick in the draft. … There’s been 700 starting quarterbacks in the last 20 years for the Cleveland Browns. This makes zero sense.” Sanders had an up-and-down training camp and preseason with Cleveland, completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in an impressive debut Aug. 8 against the Carolina Panthers before suffering an oblique injury Aug. 13 during a joint workout with the Philadelphia Eagles that kept him out for an extended period of time. He then struggled in the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams, which prompted a defense from coach Kevin Stefanski on his handling of Sanders’ development. Stefanski addressed claims that he was deliberately hindering Sanders’ progress, particularly after replacing him with Tyler Huntley, who led the game-winning drive. “I don’t concern myself with outside types of things, but I’m committed to his development, just like all of our rookies,” Stefanski said. “We’ll continue to focus on getting our guys better, and that’s what we’ll stay committed to, and that’s what’s important to me.” Cameras caught Sanders frustrated on the Browns’ sideline after being told he was done for the day. He asked to return, but Stefanski shook his head, adding to the controversy. “I think all of our guys are extremely competitive and want to be out there for every play. So, I never want a player to be less competitive,” Stefanski said. Sanders, Gabriel and practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe all have been running Cleveland’s scout team in practice, quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave said Friday. While Rush is entrenched as the backup quarterback in Baltimore because of his contract and performance, he’s 31 years old, leaving room for a developmental prospect behind him. The Ravens drafted quarterback Devin Leary in the sixth round in 2024, but he struggled and was released at the end of training camp last month, prompting the Ravens to bring Huntley back to the practice squad. The Associated Press contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.