The journey to the 2025 NFL Draft has taken an intriguing turn for Shedeur Sanders during the East-West Shrine Bowl week.
Despite being scheduled to participate in the All-Star game, Sanders opted to skip practice sessions, choosing instead to focus on meetings with NFL team representatives.
Reports soon surfaced suggesting that the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants – the top three teams in the upcoming draft – had influenced Sanders’ decision as they explore quarterback options.
Cleveland Browns General Manager Andrew Berry quickly addressed these swirling rumors.
Speaking to sports writer Mary Kay Cabot, Berry firmly denied any Browns involvement in Sanders’ Shrine Bowl practice withdrawal, stressing that the quarterback’s choice wouldn’t affect their evaluation process.
“I don’t know where that report came from. That’s not true. That’s not a request that we made. With that being said, I want to be clear: whether he participated (in the practices) or not, that would have no bearing on how we think of him. But I don’t know where that came from,” Berry stated, as reported by Cabot.
#Browns GM Andrew Berry’s full answer on it being false that the Browns asked Shedeur Sanders not to practice at the @ShrineBowl: pic.twitter.com/rv2tXXT4s7
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 28, 2025
The situation raises eyebrows, particularly given this year’s relatively quiet quarterback class, which includes Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward.
It would seem counterintuitive for Berry to discourage any potential draft picks from participating in offseason events that aid in player evaluation.
While the Browns’ true assessment of Sanders and Ward remains under wraps, this development adds another layer of intrigue to the pre-draft process.
As the NFL Draft approaches, expect the rumor mill to keep churning about where these quarterback prospects might land and which teams are seriously interested in their services.
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