Shedeur Sanders Reportedly Eyed by Ravens in Draft, QB Didn't Want to Back Up Lamar

Shedeur Sanders will be a backup for the Cleveland Browns when they take on the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday's game, but he reportedly could have been on the other sideline if the reigning AFC North champions went through with their initial draft plans.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Baltimore planned to draft the Colorado product in the fifth round but then changed its mind when Sanders revealed he didn't want to go to the Ravens and back up Lamar Jackson for the foreseeable future.

Baltimore changed course and selected Alabama A&M offensive lineman Carson Vinson with the 141st overall pick. Sanders ended up falling to No. 144 and the Browns.

It was something of a surprising selection for Cleveland considering it also picked Oregon's Dillon Gabriel in the third round, but at a certain point the front office likely decided the value in taking a quarterback who was once seen as a surefire first-rounder in the fifth round was enough to justify a crowded room.

That room also became slightly less crowded this offseason when the Browns traded Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders.

At this point, Sanders is third on the Browns' depth chart behind Joe Flacco and Gabriel. He may drop down to fourth eventually if Deshaun Watson returns from his Achilles injury.

There may not be a clear path to immediate playing time for the rookie in Cleveland either, but the desire to avoid being buried behind Jackson is understandable. After all, Jackson is one of the best players in the entire league and is just 28 years old.

Baltimore surely plans on having him as its franchise cornerstone for years to come, and the only way Sanders would have ever received meaningful playing time for the entirety of his rookie contract was if there was an injury.

With Cleveland, Flacco is 40 years old, Watson has dealt with multiple injury concerns in recent years and Gabriel is an unproved rookie as well. It is much easier to envision Sanders playing his way onto the field within the next year or two with that set up than the one in Baltimore where the Ravens will be challenging for Super Bowls with Jackson leading the way.

The draft-day change may even serve as an overarching storyline in division battles in the future if Sanders eventually does become the starting quarterback for the Browns.