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Shedeur Sanders entered the NFL with plenty of expectations after the Cleveland Browns selected him with the No. 144 overall pick. His slide on draft night to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft sparked criticism, with questions surrounding everything from his tendency to hold onto the football to whether his game would translate to the pros.
Like many rookie quarterbacks, Sanders' first season came with its share of challenges. He made seven starts for Cleveland, finishing with a 3-4 record while going through the ups and downs that come with adjusting to the NFL.
Now, heading into Year 2, the Browns quarterback believes the lessons from his rookie campaign have prepared him for what's ahead.
Speaking on ‘The Nadeska Show,’ hosted by Nadeska Alexis, Sanders admitted last season did not unfold the way he had hoped. At the same time, he believes there were enough positive moments to build on as he prepares for the upcoming season.
"It was just a tough year, last year,” Shedeur said. “My expectations, when I look back, I'm like, 'Dang, at least I made it through there. At least I made some crazy plays out there.' So, it's like, I got it in me. All I got to do now is just show everybody else."
Sanders finished his rookie season completing 120 of his 212 pass attempts for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He posted a 56.6% completion rate and a 68.1 passer rating while being sacked 23 times for a loss of 164 yards.
His best performance came in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans, when he threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns, including a 60-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy.
While there were encouraging flashes throughout the year, Sanders also experienced the growing pains that come with facing NFL defenses on a weekly basis.
The Browns enter the new season with a different coaching staff after Todd Monken took over as head coach. Cleveland is expected to install a new offensive scheme that emphasizes quicker reads and getting the ball out faster, something that could help reduce the pressure Sanders faced during his rookie year.
For his part, Sanders said his focus has shifted toward keeping things simple and executing at a higher level whenever his opportunity comes.
“I simplified everything for me to go out there and execute, to go out there and do what I could do. And I know I can. So, that's all that matters, it’s just displaying it for the world.” he added.
Sanders is expected to compete with veteran Deshaun Watson for Cleveland's starting quarterback job during training camp.
As the competition gets underway, the former Colorado standout is looking to build on his first NFL season and prove he can take the next step in the Browns' offense.
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