In 2022, the Cleveland Browns made a questionable decision to sign much-maligned former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson to a guaranteed mega-deal.
A 9-10 record in only 19 starts and two truncated seasons ended by injuries has since marked his career in Ohio.
Even worse, it looks like Watson might miss the entire 2025 season after aggravating his Achilles tendon injury.
With Watson’s murky future in mind, the franchise selected not one but two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
After getting Oregon signal-caller Dillion Gabriel in the third round, Cleveland took Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders in the fifth, a heralded athlete who had once been projected to be a Day 1 pick.
The Sanders selection led to many Cleveland fans scratching their heads, especially as to why the team would take Dillon first, then Sanders.
There has been talk that owner Jimmy Haslam was the one who forced the decision, but Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot has shut that rumor down.
In her response, Cabot shared that it was general manager Andrew Berry who made the move, not Haslam.
“Haslam wouldn’t force Berry to make a decision like that. Berry has final say over roster decisions, and Haslam lets him do his job. Berry collaborates with others, including Stefanski, on such decisions, but he is driving the roster bus and Haslam doesn’t meddle. Back in 2014, when the inexperienced Ray Farmer was GM, Haslam influenced the pick of Johnny Manziel. But Berry is an experienced GM, and Haslam isn’t mandating moves,” Cabot said.
Furthermore, the writer reiterated that Haslam wouldn’t force an experienced GM like Berry to make a call like that.
However, she did point out that, “Back in 2014, when the inexperienced Ray Farmer was GM, Haslam influenced the pick of Johnny Manziel.”
As every NFL fan is fully aware, Manziel flamed out spectacularly as a Day 1 pick.
It’s unlikely that will be the case with Sanders.
During his time at Jackson State and the Buffaloes, Sanders passed for 14,327 yards, 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions and was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2024.
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