As Shedeur Sanders was free-falling in the 2025 NFL Draft, he had a friend in Tom Brady.
“I texted Shedeur because I know him very well,” Brady told Logan Paul of the “Impaulsive” podcast after the draft. “And I said, ‘Dude, whatever happens, wherever you go — that’s your first day. Day 2 matters more than the draft.
“I was [No.] 199 — so who can speak on it better than me, like what that really means. Use that as motivation. You’re gonna get your chances, go take advantage of it.”
Sanders, who was rated the No. 5 player in the draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and still predicted to go in the first round by some on the eve of the draft as others foresaw his eventual decline, ended up sliding all the way to No. 144 in the fifth round — to the Browns.
That’s where Brady’s supportive case history falters. Brady went 199th overall in 2000, but to Bill Belichick and the Patriots, who, while in rebuild mode, were hardly hapless. They were in the playoffs in three of the four seasons under Pete Carroll before Brady was drafted. Brady took advantage of his opportunities, but he also had the advantage of being in the right place at the right time. And the rest is history.
Sanders, the son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, is in a much more difficult spot with the Browns, who have a history of mismanaging the quarterback position that rivals any team in the NFL. Trading for Deshaun Watson, a disaster on multiple fronts, and trading away Baker Mayfield, who became a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback with the Buccaneers — follows a string of quarterback misses since they re-started in 1999: DeShone Kizer, Cody Kessler, Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel, Brian Hoyer, Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden, Colt McCoy and on and on and on.
But Sanders already has one thing in common with Brady — he went from No. 4 on the depth chart as a rookie to starting. (Brady was behind Drew Bledsoe, John Friesz and Michael Bishop in his first training camp with the Patriots in 2000.)
Sanders was behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dylan Gabriel in training camp this season. Pickett was traded before the season started. Flacco was traded in Week 5. Gabriel started six games before suffering a concussion against the Ravens in Week 11. Sanders replaced Gabriel against the Ravens and looked like he didn’t belong in the NFL — he completed four of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception. Even coming in cold without any first-team reps seemed like a weak excuse for that performance.
But to his credit, Sanders has made steady progress in three starts heading into Sunday’s game against the Bears at Soldier Field. Last week against the Titans, he completed 23 of 42 passes (54.8%) for 364 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for a 97.7 passer rating and rushed for a touchdown in a 31-29 loss.
Sanders has a long way to go to prove his many doubters wrong. A good defense can expose his flaws. And therein lies the challenge for coordinator Dennis Allen and the Bears, who already have lost to Tyler Huntley this season. The only time Sanders faced a playoff team, he threw for 149 yards and produced eight points in a 26-8 loss to the 49ers. It’s a big game for Sanders, but a bigger one for Allen and the Bears’ defense.
When the Bears have the ball
A week after the Bears wore down the Packers’ fourth-ranked defense in the second half — gaining 247 yards after being held to 71 in the first half — they’ll be focused on a faster start against the Browns, whose defense ranks second in yards allowed and sacks.
But the opportunity is there against a unit that is 17th in points allowed. And leading receiver Rome Odunze (questionable, foot) could return after missing last week’s game.
Getting Caleb Williams into a groove has become a chronic issue later in the season. Williams has completed less than 60% of his passes in nine of the last 10 games (56.2% overall). The Browns lead the NFL in pass defense (165.2 yards per game), though quarterbacks are completing 63.3% of their passes against them.
The key matchup, obviously, is Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett against Bears rookie left tackle Ozzy Trapilo. Garrett leads the NFL with 20 sacks (16 of them in the last seven games) and is on pace to break the all-time NFL record of 22œ set by Michael Strahan in 2001 and tied by T.J. Watt in 2021.
Trapilo has held up well in three starts in place of Theo Benedet, but this is a challenge that will require help — not just from left guard Joe Thuney but Johnson with his play-calling/protection schemes and Williams with his mobility.
When the Browns have the ball
On paper, the Browns don’t pose the same threat on offense as the Packers did last week. They’re ranked 30th in yards (269.9 per game) and 29th in points (16.5 per game), but rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is an X-factor.
Sanders is coming off his best game yet out of four (three starts), throwing for 364 yards and three touchdowns with one interception and rushing for a touchdown in a 31-29 loss to the Titans last week.
Sanders already has four pass plays of 50 or more yards (66, 60, 58, 52), with two of them coming on screen passes to running backs Dylan Sampson (66 yards) and Quinshon Judkins (58). The Bears counter with a defense that leads the NFL with 18 interceptions and 27 takeaways. Veteran coordinator Dennis Allen plays a key role. Confusing the rookie could pay dividends as much as pressuring him.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to take the ball away, so, yeah, we’re looking for where those opportunities might present themselves [against Sanders],” Allen said. “Let the game play out. … We have to take advantage of the opportunities we have.”
The Bears can start by stopping the run and putting the Browns in difficult down-and-distance situations. The Browns are 27th in rushing yards (95.6 per game). Judkins, a rookie drafted in the second round, has 201 carries for 794 yards (3.7 average) and seven touchdowns.
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