ESPN NFL analyst and former front office executive Louis Riddick sounded the alarm this week regarding the Cleveland Browns’ handling of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
He raised concerns that the team is putting the fifth-round pick in a near-impossible situation as preseason games approach.
Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, Riddick did not mince words:
“I’m afraid he’s gonna get on the field in preseason games without a lot of practice reps, and then they’re gonna ask him to perform these heroic tasks in order to prove that he’s worthy of being a starter when he hasn’t had enough time to really get comfortable,” he said.
“That’s the kind of battle he’s dealing with right now. I know. I’ve seen it. Dom, you’ve seen it. We’ve been in these camps. We know how that goes. You don’t get enough reps, they play a whole half of the game, and then all of a sudden, coaches are going, why are you making that mistake? Why aren’t you making that check? Why are you doing that technique? Well, damn coach, I never was in there in practice. You never even talked to me during practice. But now you expect me to know—that’s what they’re going to expect of him.”
Riddick’s warning comes amid a tumultuous Browns quarterback situation, with multiple reports confirming the former Jackson State and Colorado quarterback has primarily taken fourth-string reps in training camp due to preseason injuries to higher-ranked quarterbacks. With the anticipated preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, the Browns are reportedly turning to Sanders—not necessarily as a reward for winning the job, but out of a shortage of healthy options.
Louis Riddick said this on ESPN a few days ago and with the signing of Huntley I’m more concerned that this is a set-up. Giving shedeur 1 day of reps with the 1st team sounds like a set-up “well we gave him a chance” excuse. If anybody can do it, it’s Shedeur but idk man https://t.co/tpGBwlFqw8 pic.twitter.com/HRU8CTJCOg
— The Show Stopper☃️❄☃️’ (@LilSnowmageddon) August 5, 2025
The analyst emphasized the dangers of this trial by fire: “He is ice skating uphill. He just is. And every time you hear this organization talk, you get that ‘go ahead, I’m afraid he’s [set up to fail].’”
For Riddick, the concern isn’t about Sanders’ talent or preparation—he praised the young quarterback’s training and resilience—but about NFL realities: “If anyone can get it done, it’s this kid, because he’s been trained the right way. But I’m telling you, he is ice skating uphill.”
Riddick’s comments echo wider criticism leveled at the Browns’ approach. Both media and fans have questioned the fairness of judging Sanders without first giving him the developmental reps and organizational support typically afforded to rookie quarterbacks.
Some analysts have gone so far as to question the Browns’ motives, citing franchise owner Jimmy Haslam’s public ambivalence about drafting Sanders and the limited opportunities offered to the rookie in early camp competition.
Emory Hunt, covering the news for CBS Sports, agreed with the sentiment: “It’s not fair…this is football and at the end of the day, get what you asked for. Get it because you asked for it.” Hunt noted Sanders’ impressive history of rising to big moments in college but stressed that even the most talented player needs a fair shot to succeed.
For now, Sanders faces a daunting debut: limited reps, high expectations, and the glare of media scrutiny before he’s fully acclimated to the NFL pace. As Riddick concluded, “That’s what they’re going to expect of him…but if anyone can get it done, it’s this kid, because he’s been trained the right way.”
Whether that training—and sheer mental toughness—will be enough for Sanders to break through remains to be seen, but as preseason looms, the rookie finds himself in exactly the uphill struggle Riddick described.