When the fifth round of the NFL 2025 draft rolled, the Baltimore Ravens decided that it was time to end the fall of Sheder Sanders. The Ravens would have liked to select Sanders in the fifth round, but the quarterrier said no, according to Adam Schefter d’Espn.
The Ravens – who held the third choice in the fifth round – would have planned to use this choice on Sanders. But before the team could return to the card announcing Sanders, the quarter of Colorado informed the team that he did not want to play on a list where he would not have fired on playing time, according to Schefter.
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While Lamar Jackson finished as a team starter, Sanders was not going to see the field unless a injury is hit. And even then, Sanders – no matter how much he played – was not going to exceed Jackson for the starting role. Because of this, Sanders did not want to join the Ravens.
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He obtained his wish. Three choices later, the Browns of Cleveland selected Sanders, ending his slide. He opened the 2025 NFL season as the third quarter of the team behind Joe Flacco and his compatriot recruit Dillon Gabriel.
While Sanders must progress in the team’s depth board, a starting role is much closer in Cleveland. Flacco has experienced a beautiful second act in recent seasons, but he is 40 years old. If he has a hard time or if the team falls from the hunt for eliminatory series, the Browns will probably turn to the future and Banc de Flacco.
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For Sanders to start, however, he should still beat Gabriel. The two players showed lightning of excellence in pre-season, but Gabriel’s performance in the final pre-season match cemented it as a quarter 2 behind Flacco.
Before the NFL 2025 project, many talent assessors have listed Sanders as the best perspective. The NFL teams acted differently, leading to the free fall of Sanders in the project. After a few weeks of practices, the Browns believe that Gabriel is the best player at the moment. This could change during the season, or if Gabriel fights once he assumes the starting role.
If Sanders cared for playing time, he probably made the right call. Its path to a starting role is much clearer in Cleveland. But there could be value at Sanders in Baltimore. Ravens are considered a much more stable organization and John Harbaugh is among the best NFL head coaches. Sanders may not have played much with the team, but it could have been a better destination for its development.
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Instead, Sanders finds himself with a desperate organization of stability at the quarter-Arrière. The gain could be huge if Sanders excels once he was lucky. But if he fails, it will be an overly familiar story in Cleveland.
