Another former NFL exec makes bold case for Shedeur Sanders to start Week 1

Shedeur Sanders might have slipped to the fifth round in April’s NFL Draft, but once again a former NFL executive isn’t treating him like he's a project.

On ESPN’s Get Up, Mike Tannenbaum made it clear: he believes the Cleveland Browns should name Sanders their starting quarterback—immediately.

“From snap one, day one, he absolutely should start,” Tannenbaum said Friday. “He should compete with Dillon Gabriel. I think he’s a better player. I don’t think it’s that close.”

The former Jets and Dolphins executive laid out a full case for why Sanders—despite being the fourth quarterback on Cleveland’s depth chart—is the franchise’s most urgent evaluation heading into 2025.

Cleveland needs answers—now

The Browns enter the season with a quarterback room of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, rookie third-rounder Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders. That level of depth is creating a chaotic competition, but Tannenbaum believes the bigger issue is clarity.

“By the end of the year, the Browns need to know what they have in Shedeur,” he said. “They’re going to have two first-round picks in 2026, and if they’re in position to draft a quarterback, they can’t go into that draft uncertain.”

In Tannenbaum’s eyes, starting Sanders now accelerates the Browns’ ability to make long-term roster decisions—whether that’s investing in Sanders as their future or turning to a deep 2026 quarterback class.

Draft status vs. skill set

Tannenbaum’s comments were met with skepticism by ESPN’s Dan Graziano, who pointed to Sanders’ draft position as a signal of how the Browns view him internally.

“He’s fourth on their depth chart right now,” Graziano said. “They liked Dillon Gabriel two rounds more than they liked Shedeur Sanders. That tells you something.”

But Tannenbaum countered with a familiar argument—one that Buffs fans know well: tape outweighs draft selection.

“If you go by what you see once they start playing? Shedeur led the nation in completion percentage. He’s a more talented quarterback, in my opinion.”

He's right. Despite playing behind a struggling offensive line, Shedeur showcased elite accuracy, patience, and decision-making. In a pro-style system, those traits translate, and they’re already beginning to show at Cleveland’s OTAs.

Tannenbaum’s take isn’t just talk

It’s easy to brush off national media chatter about rookie quarterbacks like from Colin Cowherd—especially in May—but Mike Tannenbaum is worth paying attention to.

This isn’t just any analyst tossing out random takes on a morning show. Tannenbaum has sat in the chair. He was the general manager of the New York Jets for seven seasons, helping build teams that went to back-to-back AFC Championship games.

He’s evaluated talent up close. He’s negotiated contracts and has led draft rooms. So when he goes on Get Up and says Shedeur Sanders should be the Browns starting quarterback “from snap one,” that’s a big deal.

Tannenbaum mentioned how he made the bold call to draft USC’s Mark Sanchez in the first round, despite criticism and skepticism across the league. What happened next? Sanchez won playoff games in his first year, then did it again in year two.

He became just the second quarterback in NFL history—alongside Ben Roethlisberger—to reach the AFC Championship Game in each of his first two seasons.

Tannenbaum knows what it looks like when the right rookie is put in the right system at the right time. That’s why his comments on ESPN’s Get Up about Shedeur Sanders isn't just noise.

However, the situation in Cleveland isn’t identical to what Tannenbaum faced in New York, but the core idea is the same: if you believe in the quarterback, let him prove it on the field.

Seeing Tannenbaum stake his reputation on Shedeur is meaningful. He’s not a CU homer.

If he’s right again, Shedeur Sanders might not just win the starting job. He might lead another under-DAWG run that shocks the football world.

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