Colorado coach Deion Sanders recently confirmed that his son, Shedeur, asked both the Ravens and Eagles not to draft him. In hindsight, maybe Shedeur should have said yes.
Beyond learning the game while studying a two-time NFL MVP, Shedeur would have had a chance to play. Jackson has been injured in the past. Now that Jackson has a hamstring injury that reportedly will cause him to miss 2-3 weeks, Shedeur could have been playing as soon as Sunday, against the Texans.
Of course, Shedeur would have had to beat out Cooper Rush for the right to be Jackson’s primary backup. In Cleveland, where Shedeur believed he’d have a better shot at earning the starting job, he beat out neither Joe Flacco nor Dillon Gabriel.
Obviously, Shedeur’s path to being the full-time QB1 remains easier in Cleveland, mainly because the Browns don’t have a quarterback with skills remotely comparable to Jackson’s. Still, Jackson missed five games in 2021 and six games in 2022 (including a playoff loss). The opportunity to play apparently would have come by Week 5, with a franchise that has been far more stable and successful than the Browns.
There’s another factor to consider in Baltimore. Jackson’s contract expires after the 2027 season. The price of the franchise tag for 2028 will be beyond exorbitant. In Baltimore, Shedeur could have had a shot to be the heir to Jackson, if Shedeur had been willing to sit and learn (and periodically play) for three seasons.