Very few people change their minds about Shedeur Sanders, clutching firmly to their preconceived notions about the Cleveland Browns’ polarizing quarterback. Fans and analysts either believe Sanders is lucky to be in the NFL or that he is bound for the Hall of Fame, with very little objective middle ground in between.
Now, heading toward the continuation of Sanders’ quarterback competition with Deshaun Watson, one of his most vocal critics has softened somewhat. Former NFL wide receiver Cris Carter did not believe Sanders approached the pre-draft process correctly, and he wasn’t shy about saying so.
Carter recently cleared the air about his opinions on Sanders, standing by his original take but advocating for him to become the Browns’ starter this season.
“I don’t have an agenda. You can kill all that. I’m just reporting the things that I’ve heard. [Shedeur Sanders] was projected to be a first-round pick. He did not do a lot of interviews after the top 15. Lo and behold, be careful what you say. We saw how he played last year. He deserved the right to come back and get a chance to start. They need to put some other stuff around him. We have no agenda but to see guys play and see them do their absolute best,” Carter said.
Let's clear something up about Shedeur Sanders. I never had an agenda. I wasn't criticizing his talent. I was talking about the draft process. He was projected as a first-round pick. His camp reportedly approached the process as if he wouldn't be available. pic.twitter.com/QqUbDo2pD7
— Fully Loaded The Podcast (@FullyLoaded_Pod) July 14, 2026
After Sanders fell into the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, when some mocks had him as the potential No. 1 overall pick, Carter was harsh in explaining what happened. He criticized Sanders and his father for attempting to manipulate the draft, saying the family “overplayed their hand” by refusing to interview with teams and forgoing a workout at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Carter also relayed reports that Sanders did not come across well in the interviews he did grant, and said he believed the Colorado QB gave the impression that he was “very, very entitled” and was coddled by his dad as head coach. The Hall of Famer said he believed Sanders cost himself as much as $30 million with his behavior.
“Matter of fact, he had convinced people that they were better off going in a different direction even with people who had lesser talent. That’s the rub he put on the people, Carter said on a podcast last April.
It was a notable criticism because many former players praised Sanders’ talent and NFL future. Now, Carter is getting closer to that line of thinking with his most recent comments.
To his credit, Sanders reportedly has put in significant work trying to improve the shortcomings in his game. In addition, most of his teammates have good things to say about him.
Over the next month, Sanders will have an excellent opportunity to silence his doubters once and for all by clearly outplaying Watson at training camp and earning Cleveland’s starting job this season.
NEXT: Analyst Shares Optimistic Outlook For Browns' 2026 Season
