Shedeur Sanders has been warmly welcomed by his new Cleveland Browns teammates after linking up with them for the first time this past weekend.
Despite falling to the fifth round of the draft costing him millions and missing out on his preferred jersey number, Sanders has made a positive impression on his team, including first-round pick Mason Graham and running back Dylan Sampson.
He now shares the quarterback room with four other players, including Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel, with Joe Flacco expected to be the 2025 starter. And he won’t earn anywhere near as much as he did in college.
After spending three days with the rookies, Sanders has earned praise from his teammates. Gabriel also expressed his satisfaction in working with him.
The Browns had chosen Graham as their first pick after deciding not to select Travis Hunter. Instead, they acquired an additional first-round pick for the 2026 class and secured the former Michigan interior defensive lineman.
Graham, a National Championship winner who played alongside JJ McCarthy in college, spoke highly of Sanders. “He was cool. I met him the other day for the first time and seems like a good dude and is all about ball,” Graham said. “I want to play with guys that are like-minded.”
DON’T MISS
Fourth-round running back Sampson praised Shedeur Sanders, saying: “I can tell, real humble. It was crazy ’cause he got drafted after me, and we were kind of like saying, ‘Watch them end up taking Shedeur.’ And it happened, so I mean I really just feel like it’s a competition everywhere.”
Sampson also complimented fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, stating: “Dillon Gabriel’s a good quarterback. It’s good to have rookies together because we’re working for the same thing, pushing each other at the same time. So it’s competition, but we’re not alone in it.”
Gabriel echoed Sampson’s sentiment, expressing his enthusiasm for the Browns drafting Sanders: “I love it. I love it because of who he is and I think we can really learn from one another.”
However, Sanders faces an uphill battle to secure a spot on the team’s roster, likely entering as the fourth-string quarterback. He will have opportunities to prove himself during OTA’s, minicamp, and preseason games in August.
