For better or worse, Shedeur Sanders has the Cleveland Browns’ attention. But not everyone is thrilled with the idea of him landing with them with their No. 2 overall pick. The Colorado signal caller hasn’t picked a side yet, but plenty of voices are weighing in. So what’s so messed up there that this projection is causing such a big deal? When it comes to navigating Cleveland, who better to break it down than the former first-round QB who’s been through the heat?

Shedeur Sanders might be able to learn a thing or two from Johnny Manziel. The former Texas A&M QB and 2012 Heisman winner joined Adam Breneman in a new episode on Next Up with Adam Breneman on January 31 to spill all. First, he mentioned the biggest wake-up call that awaited him in the NFL. “Obviously the speed of the game,” he said.

“It’s just so much quicker than playing in the SEC obviously… so much faster than even going against an Alabama or an LSU.” How to cope with that? Manziel added, “The amount of tape study and the amount of time that these guys put in allows them to be able to play at an unbelievably fast level.”

With great power comes great responsibility. Shedeur Sanders is already a responsible and accountable guy who led the Buffs to a 9-4 record in his final CFB season. But in the NFL, individual talent only takes you so far. Especially in an environment that’s not apt to develop a young QB. Johnny Manziel wasn’t spared from the Browns’ QB curse when he joined them in 2014. He entered the NFL with high expectations only to quickly get sidetracked. 

Cleveland’s instability at the QB position became apparent after their return to the NFL in 1999. Over that period, they started 40 different QBs. Every good QB that entered, including Tim Couch, Johnny Manziel, and Baker Mayfield, among others, all had unceremonious endings with a lack of development. And his feedback isn’t encouraging — “Cleveland was definitely a place that was tough, especially coming in the quarterback position.” And there’s more to it. 

Johnny Manziel also mentioned how Cleveland is prone to more outside distractions with their building setup. He said, “We would be walking in between our meetings and stuff and also like our ticket sales and everything else from an organizational standpoint on that side was in the same building.” And here’s another reason that Shedeur Sanders might want to consider. “It was a little backwards compared to what we were used to being an all-football building in college.” Surely everyone seeks an upgrade at the pro level, not a downgrade, especially Shedeur.

Is Deion Sanders okay with Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland?

Deion Sanders isn’t naming names, but he already made it clear. He’s ready to draw the line for Shedeur Sanders with an Eli move if necessary, if “certain” teams pick him. But during the Shrine Bowl, the Browns’ GM Andrew Berry ticked his team off from the list of those teams that Deion might oppose.

He added, “Shedeur is a really impressive young man. He’s poised, he’s calm, he’s smart and you can tell that he’s been raised by – quite honestly—a Hall of Fame dad.” But this only invited a series of oppositions from the Sanders well-wishers. Fall back in the draft rather than land in the Cleveland chaos, they said. 

But why this bias towards the Browns? It seems like this Eli move has long been in the mind of Deion Sanders. Let’s fish out his past social media records. In 2018, he posted a very bold and controversial statement on X about Cleveland — “I love what the @Browns have done this offseason but if I’m a young QB ain’t no way I’m going to Cleveland. I would pull a ELI MANNING If possible.” What more needs to be said? There was no context to it but as an active NFL Network analyst then, he raised eyebrows with his out-of-the-blue confession. But the Browns QB room was a revolving door from 2015-2017, seven starters with backups filling in between! His perspective isn’t surprising. 

But that was seven years ago. And Johnny Manziel’s experience was also a decade ago. Some things could’ve changed over the years, but their QB issues still persist. Is it too much of a risk for Shedeur Sanders in The Land? The decision could define his NFL future.