Stop blaming sabotage - Shedeur Sanders has been his own worst enemy from the start

There's been a lot of words written here, there, and everywhere about Shedeur Sanders and a lack of ideal development of the former Colorado star happening in Cleveland. The Browns, despite publicly stating that Sanders and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel would be part of an open QB competition, never seriously considered either rookie for the job. The competition was between veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, with Flacco emerging victorious and Pickett getting traded to Las Vegas.

Sanders had his moments during Training Camp and the preseason, but it always felt like the Browns were never really putting him in a position to succeed. It felt like sabotage; like they were intentionally setting him up for failure.

And while that probably isn't exactly true, it's fair to question an organization that has a long history of poor development at all positions, none more glaring than at quarterback.

But after a report on Sunday from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, there's no one to blame for Sanders' current situation except for Sanders himself. He put himself here when he had an opportunity to land with a much more stable organization.

According to Schefter, the Baltimore Ravens were prepared to draft Sanders to serve as the primary backup to 2x NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. Sanders turned them down, preferring - as a day three draft pick at that point - to go somewhere he would have a chance to play quickly. Ignoring, of course, that fifth-round picks, especially quarterbacks, don't typically get those opportunities. He should have been more concerned with being able to latch on somewhere; more day three quarterbacks end up cut in short order than end up as NFL starters.

The Baltimore Ravens wanted to draft Shedeur Sanders, but he refused the opportunity

When you talk about some all-time poor decision-making, there may not be many worse than willingly choosing to play for the Cleveland Browns over the Baltimore Ravens. One of those organizations is the model of stability and development. The other... is not.

Sanders preferred an opportunity where he could play quicker, knowing that Lamar Jackson was solidified as the Baltimore starter for years to come. So instead of serving as the Ravens' backup, he's now the third-string QB in Cleveland.

Sanders' reasoning makes little sense. As a fifth-round pick, he was never going to get a quick opportunity to start. Worse yet, he's now with an organization with a proven track record of poor development at his position. Just ask Baker Mayfield.

Sanders could have instead gone to Baltimore, backed up Jackson, and gotten some garbage-time reps and preseason starts to show other teams what he could do. No, he was unlikely to ever be the starting QB with the Ravens, but he could have taken a path many others have taken in the past: become a top backup for a few years, develop, and then get an opportunity with another team down the line.

Now, Sanders' future in the NFL is very much in doubt in the hands of the Browns, who have ruined players as talented as him for generations.