Shedeur Sanders Facing Growing Pressure Ahead Of Browns Camp

Highlighted by first-round NFL Draft pick Mason Graham and quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns rookies will report to training camp on Friday ahead of the 2025 season.

Similar to the Colorado Buffaloes, the Browns are entering preseason camp without a clear starting quarterback. However, unlike Colorado and its two-man competition between incoming freshman Julian "JuJu" Lewis and Liberty Flames transfer Kaidon Salter, the Browns have four healthy quarterbacks battling for the starting job.

Sanders, who spent his final two college seasons at Colorado, and Gabriel are joined by experienced NFL starters Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. All four had strong moments in OTAs and mandatory minicamp, but the pressure will increase dramatically when the Browns hold their first training camp practice late next week.

Cleveland Browns Shedeur Sanders Facing Pressure Training Camp NFL Good Morning Football Manti Te'o Dillon Gabriel Joe Flacco — Jun 12, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) talks to quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during mini camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

On an episode of NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" earlier this week, former NFL linebacker Manti Te'o made clear that training camp is a considerably more daunting beast for the rookie Sanders to tackle.

"Guys during OTAs and minicamp, they're going to go golf after practice. They're going to go play pickleball after practice. They're taking their kids to tee-ball practice after OTAs," Te'o said. "You're about to go into training camp, and time will tell because in training camp, somebody is trying to take somebody's job, and it gets very, very serious. The speed of the game gets quickened a little bit. It speeds up a little bit. The margin for error gets smaller.

"It's going to be something for us to pay really close attention to because this is going to be the next transition for not only Shedeur but every quarterback in the NFL going into training camp. It's a different speed, there's more on the line, and it's something that we've got to pay attention to."

Te'o's mention of "time will tell" was in reference to a recent tweet from Sanders. The meaning of that message can be speculated, but the "Good Morning Football Crew" believes the youngest son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders has navigated his first NFL summer with great maturity.

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time will tell 🤫
— Shedeur Sanders (@ShedeurSanders) July 14, 2025

Former NFL offensive lineman and Super Bowl XLIII champion Willie Colon has been particularly impressed with how Shedeur handled his falling to the fifth round of the NFL Draft.

"After the draft, I thought personally that he's responded the way any guy should respond out of a situation like that," Colon said. "You talk about winning in the media, showing up to schools, talking to the kids, working hard, working after practice, being a locker room (guy), immersing himself in the Browns' culture. I thought he's done a great job in that regard. But I got to agree with Manti. When you see OTAs and you see spring training, it's good. But you can't make the club in shorts. It comes down to pads and hard work."