NFL bust Johnny Manziel has spoken out in regards to the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback conundrum, and because it pertains to Shedeur Sanders specifically.
The Browns at present have 5 QBs on their roster, although Deshaun Watson will probably be sidelined for many, if not all, of the 2025 NFL marketing campaign as he continues to rehab a proper Achilles tendon harm.
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With two rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, a former first-round choose in Kenny Pickett, and an 18-year veteran in Joe Flacco, Cleveland has an array of expertise throughout the place.
However it’s Sanders, son of NFL Corridor of Fame defensive again Deion Sanders, who has thus far garnered a lot of the eye popping out of the Browns’ minicamp.
Initially projected to be a high first-round choose within the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders suffered a monstrous slide down the draft board, and fell to the Browns within the fifth spherical with the 144th general choose.
Cleveland, nonetheless, had already chosen a QB within the draft, opting to take Gabriel some 50 picks earlier.
However with Sanders nonetheless on the board by the point their fifth spherical choice got here round, they merely couldn’t go up on the previous Colorado Buffaloes star.
At Colorado beneath Coach Prime, Sanders featured in 24 video games throughout each his junior and senior season.
He completed his tenure there having registered 64 complete touchdowns, while he additionally threw for 7,364 yards and a go completion proportion of 71.8 %.
As for the rationale for his all-time slide, it was cited that some groups across the league had some issues over his angle in pre-draft interviews, in addition to differing perceptions over whether or not his arm expertise was elite sufficient to compete with the most effective of the most effective within the NFL.
However former Browns first-round choose within the 2014 draft, Johnny Manziel gave his verdict on the 23-year-old rookie, believing that he’s receiving an excessive amount of criticism earlier than he has even had an opportunity to step foot on an NFL turf.
“As you hear and see reviews sure issues, possibly he is slightly too loud, the quiet man, the Geno (Smith) kind of man who is available in and type of beneath the radar. I am watching rookie minicamp stuff and they’re detailing each single throw. It is f*****g loopy, it is rookie minicamp,” Manziel stated to ESPN Cleveland.
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“He’s received a chance now in Cleveland with a quarterback scenario, that he can truthfully come out of and win the job,” Manziel added.
“I believe he’ll do nicely. I actually do. I believe the child works actually exhausting and loves the sport of ball, when it comes right down to it, when you’ve got a man like that, that loves the sport. I believe he’ll achieve success.”
The 2012 Heisman winner’s personal tenure within the NFL was transient, suiting up simply 14 instances in two seasons earlier than discovering his approach out of the league completely because of a mixture of a scarcity of consistency in his play, and a few important off-field points.
However, a present Browns famous person has additionally had loads to say on Sanders, and the battle to assert the QB1 function.
2023 NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr Myles Garrett, who initially wished out of Cleveland and submitted a commerce request, earlier than signing a landmark extension which noticed him develop into one of many highest-paid non-quarterbacks within the league, has been impressed by what he has seen from the fifth-round draft choose thus far.
“I believe everybody was stunned to see him go to the fifth spherical, however he’s come to camp and OTAs with an amazing angle,” Garrett stated after throwing out the primary pitch at a Texas Rangers recreation.
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“He’s a hard-working man; he has an amazing head on his shoulders. And, , he’s at all times constructive, at all times optimistic, at all times retains a smile on his face, and you want going to work with individuals who have that type of angle.”
With Garrett not eager to be a part of one other rebuild in Cleveland, and chasing a Tremendous Bowl, there may be quite a lot of stress on each the crew, and the eventual beginning QB, to assist the crew higher their disappointing 3-14 file from the 2024 marketing campaign.
While there are 4 wholesome QBs because it stands, there are murmurs suggesting that the battle to be QB1 will probably be between 40-year-old veteran Flacco, and Sanders.
While the pair have appeared to struck up a bond over minicamp, in response to head coach Kevin Stefanski, they’re in the end competing towards one another for a similar job.
Nevertheless, just one man may be the starter going into week 1 of the 2025 season, and who will earn that honor nonetheless stays to be seen.
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