Shedeur Sanders was reportedly linked to an NFC contender in the last Draft

One of the most talked-about storylines in the last NFL Draft involved then-Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Now a member of the Cleveland Browns, he experienced a surprising fall down the draft board — despite having drawn interest from several prominent teams across the league.

In recent days, news emerged that Sanders had previously turned down the idea of joining the Baltimore Ravens — understandably so, given that with Lamar Jackson ahead of him on the depth chart, his chances of seeing playing time would have been extremely limited.

However, according to Cam Newton, another contender has emerged as one of the teams that also showed interest: the Philadelphia Eagles. On his podcast 4th & 1 with Cam Newton, the former Panthers quarterback revealed that the reigning Super Bowl champions had considered adding a backup behind Jalen Hurts.

“My source tells me that it wasn’t just the Baltimore Ravens. It was three teams. The Cleveland Browns, the Philadelphia Eagles, and it was also the Baltimore Ravens,” Newton said.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles.

“The Philadelphia Eagles — Jalen Hurts has been nothing less than the model citizen. And of course, he’s thinking to himself like, you’re talking about development, you’re talking about preparing him to be a potential starting quarterback.”

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NFL News: Shedeur Sanders reportedly rejected a Super Bowl contender in shocking decision during 2025 Draft

What led to the Browns decision

The Cleveland Browns were one of the major players in this past NFL offseason — not only did they select two quarterbacks in the draft, but they also acquired veteran Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. But why did they ultimately choose Shedeur Sanders? According to Diana Russini, there was no particular reason at all.

“For all the football conspiracy theorists out there trying to decode the real reason the Cleveland Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders, here’s the truth: There is no big secret. The pick wasn’t some master plan from ownership,” the journalist of The Athletic reported.

“It was GM Andrew Berry’s call, rooted in his belief that Cleveland’s coaching staff could bring out the best in Sanders and help him grow into an NFL quarterback. It will be a process, and the Browns want to keep developing him.

“Don’t plan on seeing the fifth-round pick on the field this season unless things get really weird. Cleveland believes in Joe Flacco’s experience and Dillon Gabriel’s development as the backup.”

Will Shedeur see any action this season?

Barring any physical setbacks, it’s most likely that Kevin Stefanski will stick with Joe Flacco as his starting quarterback, with Dillon Gabriel expected to serve as the primary backup. As a result, it’s highly probable that Shedeur Sanders won’t see any playing time this season for the Browns.