NFL bust Johnny Manziel has spoken out about the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback conundrum, and as it pertains to Shedeur Sanders in particular.
The Browns currently have five QBs on their roster, though Deshaun Watson will be sidelined for most, if not all, of the 2025 NFL campaign as he continues to rehab a right Achilles tendon injury.
Stefanski has praised Sanders and Flacco’s relationshipGettyWith two rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, a former first-round pick in Kenny Pickett, and an 18-year veteran in Joe Flacco, Cleveland has an array of experience across the position.
But it is Sanders, son of NFL Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders, who has so far garnered much of the attention coming out of the Browns’ minicamp.
Initially projected to be a top first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders suffered a monstrous slide down the draft board, and fell to the Browns in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick.
Cleveland, however, had already selected a QB in the draft, opting to take Gabriel some 50 picks earlier.
But with Sanders still on the board by the time their fifth round selection came around, they simply could not pass up on the former Colorado Buffaloes star.
At Colorado under Coach Prime, Sanders featured in 24 games across both his junior and senior season.
He finished his tenure there having registered 64 total touchdowns, whilst he also threw for 7,364 yards and a pass completion percentage of 71.8 percent.
As for the reason for his all-time slide, it was cited that some teams around the league had some concerns over his attitude in pre-draft interviews, as well as differing perceptions over whether his arm talent was elite enough to compete with the best of the best in the NFL.
But former Browns first-round pick in the 2014 draft, Johnny Manziel gave his verdict on the 23-year-old rookie, believing that he is receiving too much criticism before he has even had a chance to step foot on an NFL turf.
“As you hear and see reports certain things, maybe he’s a little too loud, the quiet guy, the Geno (Smith) type of guy who comes in and kind of under the radar. I’m watching rookie minicamp stuff and they are detailing every single throw. It’s f*****g crazy, it’s rookie minicamp,” Manziel said to ESPN Cleveland.
Sanders is among five QB competing for a starting spot in ClevelandGetty GettyManziel was once seen as the future in Cleveland[/caption] Manziel was ultimately a bust in the NFLGetty“He’s got an opportunity now in Cleveland with a quarterback situation, that he can honestly come out of and win the job,” Manziel added.
“I think he’ll do well. I really do. I think the kid works really hard and loves the game of ball, when it comes down to it, when you have a guy like that, that loves the game. I think he’ll be successful.”
The 2012 Heisman winner’s own tenure in the NFL was brief, suiting up just 14 times in two seasons before finding his way out of the league entirely as a result of a combination of a lack of consistency in his play, and some significant off-field issues.
On the other hand, a current Browns superstar has also had a lot to say on Sanders, and the battle to claim the QB1 role.
2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, who initially wanted out of Cleveland and submitted a trade request, before signing a landmark extension which saw him become one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the league, has been impressed by what he has seen from the fifth-round draft pick so far.
“I think everyone was surprised to see him go to the fifth round, but he’s come to camp and OTAs with a great attitude,” Garrett said after throwing out the first pitch at a Texas Rangers game.
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“He’s a hard-working guy; he has a great head on his shoulders. And, you know, he’s always positive, always optimistic, always keeps a smile on his face, and you like going to work with people who have that kind of attitude.”
With Garrett not wanting to be part of another rebuild in Cleveland, and chasing a Super Bowl, there is a lot of pressure on both the team, and the eventual starting QB, to help the team better their disappointing 3-14 record from the 2024 campaign.
Whilst there are four healthy QBs as it stands, there are murmurs suggesting that the battle to be QB1 will be between 40-year-old veteran Flacco, and Sanders.
Whilst the pair have appeared to struck up a bond over minicamp, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski, they are ultimately competing against each other for the same job.
However, only one man can be the starter going into week 1 of the 2025 season, and who will earn that honor still remains to be seen.
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