Insider Makes it Clear Browns QB Shedeur Sanders is Not 'Special'

An NFL insider has dropped quite a take on Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders puts in extra work after practice during NFL minicamp, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders has stolen headlines for a variety of reasons over the last couple of months, and really, since he was playing at Colorado.

While not all of the news has been positive, one thing has been clear about Sanders throughout Browns offseason workouts: his work ethic cannot be questioned.

Most have raved how seriously Sanders is taking things since arriving in Cleveland, but Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com does not necessarily believe that will automatically give the 23-year-old the key to being the Browns' franchise quarterback.

Especially considering he was selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.

“For Shedeur Sanders, the reality is he’s no longer special. Not in the eyes of the NFL. Only 7% of starters come from the fifth round,” Pluto wrote. “It’s true that Sanders has impressed the Browns with his work ethic and serious approach to learning the offense. He seems to have connected with [Joe] Flacco. He’s also had some good days in front of the media during the Browns’ spring camps. But these are glorified touch football practices. If the real NFL was like this, Flacco would already be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.”

Obviously, Pluto is not going as far to say that Sanders won't work out. He is merely stating that the odds are stacked against him.

Sanders definitely displayed significant potential in college. He is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he threw for 37 touchdowns while also completing 74 percent of his passes, the latter of which led the country.

However, the NFL is an entirely different ballgame, and we have to see if Sanders is ready for it. That means actually producing on the field.

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