The Cleveland Browns have to be running out of patience with rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who surprisingly fell to the fifth round of the NFL Draft despite receiving first-round grades by many pundits. Sanders has, unsurprisingly, looked capable on the playing field, but that is not what scared teams away from taking him high in late April. Several suitors thought Sanders interviewed poorly, and came off as cocky. Sanders early attempt to improve his reputation isn't off to the best start, as he's been picked up for driving over 100 MPH reportedly on multiple occasions.
Sanders was stopped for driving 101 MPH in a 65 MPH zone on June 17, per FOX. However, that wasn't the first time. In a recent news break by Brad Stainbrook, Sanders was also pulled over by Ohio State Patrol in Medina County on June 6. He failed to appear in court on June 16, though it's unclear if he was required to do so.
The Browns are stuck with Shedeur Sanders
None of this is ideal, and in a four-person quarterback room, Sanders would be the odd man out for most NFL franchises. Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett are veterans and, at the very least, can man the ship for a season as the Browns figure out their next permanent solution at the position. Dillon Gabriel was selected before Sanders, and has performed admirably at OTAs so far and received more reps in 11-on-11 drills.
Yet, the Browns will likely not discipline Sanders and certainly not give up on him if only because they believe in his talent. Cleveland was the absolute worst possible landing spot for Sanders, as they don't have a capable coaching staff and it's where young quarterbacks with potential go to die. It's also the best possible landing spot if he wanted a long leash. Now he has one, with little repercussions for creating distractions.
Deshaun Watson put the Browns in this position
The reason the Browns are in this quarterback hell is simple, and it's Deshaun Watson. Cleveland mortgaged its future for Watson knowing full well the allegations against him. It didn't matter to owner Jimmy Haslam, the front office or the coaching staff at the time – they just wanted capable QB play. In part because of the allegations against him and the negative media coverage that comes with it, Watson has looked like a shell of himself with the Browns. He is not the same player he was in Houston, by far, and now he is out for the entire 2025-26 season.
Thanks to the contract extension the Browns gave Watson when he arrived, there is no easy way for them to cut ties with Deshaun, either. This means the Browns best chance at finding their next signal-caller is through the NFL Draft. It's why they took two of those this April, even though it was considered a weak class.
These offenses by Sanders are relatively minor, and may turn out to be nothing. They also are not an encouraging sign. The Browns won't do anything about it, if only because they never learn from the past, and they aren't in a position to hold Sanders accountable.