After waiting (and waiting and waiting…x5), Shedeur Sanders was finally drafted in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Originally thought to be a top-10 pick, or at least a first-rounder, the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback ended up slipping to 144th overall after drama with interviews, attitude, and his father Deion, becoming the biggest story of the 2025 draft.
But now, that’s all over, and Shedeur is officially a Cleveland Brown, for the next four years.
Sanders signs with the Browns
As a first-round pick, Sanders would’ve been guaranteed a four-year contract with a fifth-year option. As a fifth-round pick, he still got the four years, but at a much lower cost, and without the fifth-year option.
The Browns announced that they signed Sanders to a four-year, $4.6 million rookie contract with a $447,380 signing bonus. That deal is not what was once expected for Saners, who won the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year after his impressive final season at Colorado. For comparison, quarterback Cam Ward, who was selected first overall by the Tennessee Titans, signed a four-year deal worth $48.7 million.
But what matters for Sanders now is proving the world wrong about him. If he can find success with the Browns, the draft slide will be just a foggy memory down the line. But it won’t be easy.
The Browns also selected Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round ahead of Sanders. Both of the rookies will be competing against Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, whom the Browns picked up in the offseason. And supposing that Deshaun Watson eventually gets healthy again, he’d be in the picture as well. It’s a tough road ahead for Sanders, but if he’s able to outperform his fifth-round status, he’ll be on his way to a much more lucrative contract in the future.
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