The Baltimore Ravens were focused on defeating the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and they did so with relative ease. Baltimore defeated Cleveland 41-17, to the point where Kevin Stefanski benched starting quarterback Joe Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel. But before the game, there was focus set on one of Cleveland's other rookie quarterbacks, and that's Shedeur Sanders.
Before the game, ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the Ravens were planning on drafting Sanders with the 141st overall pick, but the Colorado quarterback let it be known he didn't want to be on the same roster as Lamar Jackson. why's that? Because Sanders believed he wouldn't have a chance to start at quarterback.
On Monday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh met with reporters, and was asked about the Sanders draft report. Harbaugh was having none of it, as he didn't want to give it any further oxygen, saying that the team has a policy that says "we don't talk about the draft room decision-making process."
John Harbaugh on the Shedeur Sanders report:
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) September 15, 2025
"We have a policy here that we don't talk about the draft room decision-making process. I'm not gonna be able to answer that for you. As much as I may like to or may not want to."
via @Ravens https://t.co/zmems3ISGq pic.twitter.com/4a5ask8zOW
John Harbaugh punts on answering question about Shedeur Sanders-Ravens draft report
Harbaugh was not biting at the question. The NFL Draft was over four months ago, and the decisions made have been finalized.
The Ravens, instead of drafting Sanders, used it on offensive lineman Carson Vinson from Alabama A&M. Three picks later, the Browns traded up to the 144th spot to select Sanders to be one of their four quarterbacks in their offseason competition for the starter's job.
The starter's competition turned out not to be much of a competition in Cleveland after all. Sanders had a strong start to the preseason, but an injury allowed Gabriel to leap ahead of him and ultimately secure the primary backup job behind Flacco. Sanders is now set as Cleveland's No. 3 option on the depth chart.
We can understand the logic from Sanders, because Jackson isn't giving up the starter's role. That's his until he no longer plays in Baltimore or in the NFL altogether. But in the fifth round, there isn't really a chance for a quarterback prospect to become an immediate starter. It may have appeared Sanders had a chance to start in Cleveland, it ultimately didn't happen.
If you were curious what Harbaugh's and the Ravens' comments about the report, they weren't even going to entertain questions about it.