Does Cleveland Even Believe in Shedeur Sanders?

By John Johnson | Man of Blessings Sports Media

Martinsburg, WV

Owen O’Connor, Browns Wire

BEREA, Ohio — “Blame him for plenty, but Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said he’s not directly responsible for a recent high-profile draft pick.”

That quote from the Associated Press says a lot without saying too much — and if you read between the lines, it raises serious questions about the Cleveland Browns’ commitment to rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Let’s get straight to it: when the owner distances himself from a draft pick, it’s not just smoke — there’s fire behind that. It’s looking more and more like Shedeur wasn’t Jimmy Haslam’s guy, and based on how training camp has gone so far, it doesn’t look like he was head coach Kevin Stefanski’s guy either.

Reports out of camp are disappointing, especially considering Kenny Pickett’s injury. You would think that would open the door for Shedeur to get meaningful first-team reps and a chance to prove he belongs. But instead, he’s been stuck at the bottom of the depth chart, barely getting any real snaps. No rhythm. No opportunity to build chemistry. No indication that he’s truly being developed.

So, what’s really going on?

If the front office (led by GM Andrew Berry) made the call to draft Sanders, but the coaching staff isn’t backing it up with action, then the organization isn’t aligned. And that’s a major problem — especially at the quarterback position, where confidence and consistency are everything.

To make matters worse, if they toss Shedeur into preseason games with little to no meaningful camp reps, it’s not just unfair — it’s setting the kid up to fail. You can’t expect a young quarterback to lead confidently if you’ve never let him take the wheel in practice.

We had high hopes for Shedeur Sanders coming out of college. He’s intelligent, poised, and carries himself like a pro. But talent means nothing if the system around you doesn’t give you a fair shot. If Cleveland truly wants to develop him, they need to show it — with reps, with support, and with belief.

Right now, it feels like Shedeur is just a name on the roster — not a part of the plan. And that’s a shame for a young man with so much potential.