Colin Cowherd Shares Bold Prediction for Browns’ Shedeur Sanders

The Browns have a quarterback predicament this offseason, but the team does have the benefit of having two rookies with untapped potential in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.

Cleveland has only had two OTAs so far, but fans and analysts have already chipped in countless predictions as to which of the team's four passers will take snaps under center this fall. Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd was the latest to offer his thoughts, saying that Sanders' flashiness, big name and marketability will likely play into his favor in the quarterback competition.

"The owner of the Browns, Jimmy Haslam, is really impulsive," Cowherd said Monday. "He drafted Johnny Manziel over better quarterbacks. He drafted Baker Mayfield. He signed Deshaun Watson to a ridiculous guaranteed deal despite all sorts of allegations personally against him, probably the league's worst contract. In a quarterback room with zero star power except Shedeur Sanders, he's gonna get a chance... There's a lot of belief in the NFL that Jimmy Haslam is the reason that Cleveland finally drafted Shedeur Sanders. He is desperate to be recognized and for star power."

Cowherd pointed out the Browns' difficult schedule to start the season, which contains games against the Bengals, Ravens, Packers, Lions, Vikings and Steelers. The analyst compared "old Joe Flacco, dull Kenny Pickett and small Dillon Gabriel" to star opposing quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Jordan Love and Joe Burrow, exphasizing the lack of excitement Cleveland's other QBs bring.

"My prediction, you start looking at that schedule between Weeks 7 and 10, Shedeur Sanders is gonna get a shot here," Cowherd said. "Shedeur's on this roster because Jimmy Haslam wanted him on the roster. Haslam is starving for a star quarterback. He doesn't have the Ravens' roster, he doesn't have Burrow, he doesn't have the Steelers' brand. It's a weak roster. They're an injury or two away from having the weakest wide receiver room in the league. This is a team that is going to be boring offensively. You know what will make them not boring? Shedeur Sanders taking snaps, win or lose."

While Sanders' "star power" may get him an opportunity on the field, his play will need to show more than just flashes to stamp his mark as the Browns' quarterback of the future. The former Colorado quarterback has garnered praise so far this spring and early summer, but Sanders' performance in a live-game setting will be the deciding factor in whether he's a starting-caliber QB.