At this point, Shedeur Sanders is probably just happy to be drafted.
Despite months of projections that saw him taken in the early first round of the 2025 draft, the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback fell to the fifth round and the 144th pick, at which point he was taken by the Cleveland Browns. There, he will join an already crowded quarterback room with Joe Flacco, Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, and third-round selection Dillion Gabriel.
But although the slide was certainly brutal from an emotional perspective, it was also quite tough from a financial perspective, as well. As the sixth pick of the fifth round, Sanders will miss out on more than $40 million in his first NFL contract, per Sportico. Instead, his deal will be worth around $4.6 million, including a $446,553 signing bonus.
For reference, No.1 pick Cam Ward is projected to land a rookie contract worth $48.8 million, including a $32.2 million signing bonus. And Travis Hunter, the No. 2 pick, is in line for a $46.6 million deal, including a $30.6 million signing bonus. Contract amounts are somewhat similar for the No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 picks, as well.
Sanders will be fine regardless and probably isn't too worried about the financial implications of the pick; if anything, he's just happy he was taken off the board. But it is interesting to note, considering he was, for months, believed to be an early selection.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shedeur Sanders Will Lose Out on More Than $40 Million Thanks to Fifth-Round Slide.
