A pair of speeding citations for Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders should not impact his spot on the roster or alter the four-player competition at the position, according to former coach Eric Mangini. During his time in Cleveland, Mangini dealt with off-the-field issues involving several players — including Josh Gordon and Shaun Rogers — but the situation involving the rookie signal-caller is different, he says.
“This is, in fairness to Shedeur, the first time he’s been outside his dad’s overview, his dad’s house,” Mangini told Colin Cowherd. “I think he was his high school, then his college coach … This is like any kid who’s away from home for the first time. There’s gonna be a couple hiccups here and there.”
Sanders impressed during OTAs and has received rave reviews from coach Kevin Stefanski this summer. He’s battling Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow draft pick Dillon Gabriel for reps during training camp next month before final roster decisions are made.
And while the speeding citations are not advantageous to his cause, there’s no reason to be concerned, Mangini says.
“I don’t love it from a fifth-round draft pick. I don’t love that it’s happened multiple times. I do think this is the first time he’s away from his dad and there’s going to be some growing pains,” Mangini said. “Would I sell my stock on it like you are? No, because of a couple speeding tickets, especially in the light of the problems the Browns quarterback room had had to deal with legally in the last few years. This is nothing.”
According to Cleveland.com, the franchise has already had internal discussions with Sanders.
“I’ve made some wrong choices personally, I can own up to them,” Sanders said in a video posted to social media at a softball game this week. “I made some not great choices. I learn from them. I learned.”
Mangini went 10-22 over two seasons with the Browns from 2009-2010 before he was fired and later landed an offensive analyst job in San Francisco. He worked his way back up to tight ends coach and eventually the role of defensive coordinator for the 49ers in 2015 before he was replaced along with most of the coaching staff following the exit of Jim Tomsula as coach.
The widespread belief around the NFL is that Cleveland will not keep all four quarterbacks on its roster in 2025.
NFL insider Jeremy Fowler touched on the Browns’ overload under center last month during OTAs and the next potential steps the franchise will take before the 53-man roster is decided.
“I still think they look at quarterback pieces like currency and value, so if somebody goes down to an injury in training camp they have somebody they can potentially trade,” Fowler said on ESPN Cleveland radio. “Maybe it’s Pickett, maybe it’s one of the rookies. But I can see that sort of maneuvering. I have a hard time thinking they keep (four) on the roster. I think it might be three. And then you can try a practice squad player or seek a trade.”
The 40-year-old Flacco was signed on a one-year, incentives-enhanced deal, while Pickett was the first quarterback acquisition this offseason for the Browns after Cleveland completed a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Both were immediate insurance polices for Deshaun Watson given his injury status and likelihood he’ll miss the upcoming season.
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Author: Brad Crawford
June 21, 2025 | 9:40 am
