The Baltimore Ravens had their sights set on quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the draft, preparing to select him with the 141st overall pick, according to league sources and ESPN.
But the former Colorado standout made it clear he wasn’t interested in joining a roster led by Lamar Jackson, a two-time MVP firmly entrenched as Baltimore’s franchise quarterback. With Jackson’s job secure, Sanders knew immediate playing time would be unlikely in Baltimore.
Word was relayed to the Ravens that Sanders preferred another landing spot, somewhere he could have a more realistic shot at contributing sooner. Instead, Baltimore pivoted and chose offensive lineman Carson Vinson at No. 141.
Just three picks later, the Cleveland Browns scooped up Sanders at No. 144, setting up a twist of fate: Sanders and the Browns will face the Ravens in Baltimore this Sunday, with both teams seeking their first win of the season.
For now, Sanders sits third on Cleveland’s quarterback depth chart, behind veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel. The Browns’ QB competition was crowded during camp and preseason, but roster changes opened the door for Sanders. Kenny Pickett was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, while Tyler Huntley was released last month, paving the way for Sanders to make the 53-man roster.
Sanders impressed in his preseason debut but was sidelined the following week with an oblique injury. In his final preseason outing against the Los Angeles Rams, he struggled, taking five sacks.
Since then, Sanders, Gabriel, and practice-squad QB Bailey Zappe have been handling scout team duties. Quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave praised their effort Friday:
“It’s exciting because those guys do take pride in getting the defense ready,” Musgrave said. “They want to do a good job of replicating the opponent’s offense and at the same time, they want to try to relate any play that they get to our game plan for that week too.”
On Sunday, Sanders will walk into M&T Bank Stadium — a place that could have been his home field if the draft had unfolded differently. Instead, by voicing his preference, he slipped past Baltimore and found his opportunity in Cleveland.
