The Cleveland Browns took a big risk when they drafted Shedeur Sanders.
They knew that all eyes would be on him and that his big fan base and media platform would be calling for him to start, regardless of whether he was ready or was the most appropriate candidate.
However, taking him in the fifth round gave the team most of the leverage.
The Browns have made it clear that Sanders will have to work hard to climb the ladder in the QB depth chart.
That’s why ESPN insider Adam Schefter believes that Sanders made a terrible mistake with those speeding tickets.
While being caught speeding itself shouldn’t be that serious, Schefter believes the whole situation is a bad look.
“I know it’s just a speeding ticket, but you can’t speed 41 mph over the speed limit, going 101. And you can’t do it twice within a week. You have to know that all eyes in Cleveland are on you. Many eyes around the National Football League are on you. You need to be above everything. You can’t afford to do anything wrong. If you want to prove everybody wrong that bypassed you in the draft, I’m sorry, as much as you might not like it, you need to be driving 55 miles per hour,” Schefter said.
Shedeur Sanders can't afford to do anything wrong. @AdamSchefter | @ZipRecruiter | @ESPNCleveland pic.twitter.com/3zyHTdDBGs
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) June 24, 2025
It’s as simple as that.
It’s not a matter of whether it’s fair or not, but Sanders has plenty of climbing to do, and this is the last thing he needed right now.
Teams passed on him 143 times because they clearly didn’t like his character and demeanor, and they didn’t think his tape was impressive enough to ignore all the red flags.
Sanders simply doesn’t have the luxury of making the rounds for anything other than his work ethic and leadership right now, and that won’t change unless he finally gets on the field and, more importantly, plays well enough.
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