Sunday put the Colorado Buffaloes’ 2025 NFL Draft class front and center, and the biggest spotlight belonged to Shedeur Sanders.
The Cleveland Browns quarterback made his first start of the season and nearly pulled off a comeback, even though Cleveland fell to the New Orleans Saints 23-22 in overtime. Sanders guided a touchdown drive in the extra period, but the Browns’ two-point try came up short when his pass fell incomplete.
Sanders finished with 297 passing yards and two touchdowns, going 19 of 31 for a 61 percent completion rate. The former Colorado star kept extending plays and finding answers when the pocket broke down, and that scramble-and-throw package showed up again and again as Cleveland stayed alive. He also helped the Browns move the chains on key third downs.
The defining sequence came on a third down late in overtime, when Sanders hit tight end Harold Fannin Jr. on a short pass and Fannin turned it into a 39-yard touchdown that set up the two-point attempt.
There’s still a question hanging over Sanders’ role moving forward. Even after his strong showing, Cleveland is reportedly planning to go back to Deshaun Watson against the Houston Texans. Watson’s concussion opened the door for Sanders, and the Browns came within one play of winning with him under center.
That has only added to the noise around Sanders, especially with quarterback injuries piling up across the league and talk of a possible trade beginning to pick up. The bigger question now is whether Cleveland wants to keep Sanders as valuable depth behind Watson, who is returning from an Achilles injury.
Travis Hunter also made his mark on Sunday, though his day was quieter than Sanders’ headline-grabbing start. Hunter finished with four tackles and a fumble lost on offense as the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Baltimore Ravens. He lined up against another former Colorado receiver, LaJohntay Wester, in that matchup.
With Lamar Jackson sidelined, Baltimore’s passing game never got much going, and Wester’s numbers reflected that. He caught one pass for 14 yards, which was the second-most receiving yardage for the Ravens behind Mark Andrews’ 19 yards. Wester also fumbled.
The third Colorado receiver taken in the 2025 draft, Jimmy Horn Jr., is currently on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad after beginning his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers.
In Other News...
Seahawks Just Added A Big Name To Fix Their Run Game
The trade market has become one of the more active parts of the NFL calendar in 2024, and Jacksonville has already been part of the movement. The Jaguars have added defensive help through deals for Jordan Davis, Jessie Bates III and Davon Godchaux, a clear sign that the front office has not been shy about trying to patch holes while the season is still in motion.
Around the league, the pace has only picked up as the deadline approaches, with 13 in-season trades already completed. Baltimore brought in Jacoby Brissett, Chicago landed Jeffery Simmons and Seattle addressed its own issues by getting guard Quenton Nelson, another reminder that teams are willing to pay for immediate help when they think a roster can still be pushed forward. For Jacksonville, the bigger question is whether its own early moves are enough, or whether the Jaguars will keep working the phones before the market closes. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Pass Rush Search May Not Be Over After Mondays Moves
The Jaguars spent Monday reshaping their roster with three trades, but their work on the pass rush may not be finished. Before those moves, Jacksonville reportedly made a significant offer for Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV, a sign the front office was still looking for another edge presence even as it addressed other needs elsewhere.
McDonald has been open about wanting a change of scenery after seeing reduced playing time, but New York has so far held firm. The Jets still believe in the former first-round picks talent and development, and with McDonald under contract through 2026 plus a fifth-year option for 2027, any pursuit would likely have to become more serious before this one moves any closer to the finish line. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Made A Jordan Davis Move Fans Need To Unpack
With the trade deadline approaching, the Jaguars have been busy trying to patch up a defense that has been hit by injuries and needed more help in both the secondary and the front seven. In a flurry of moves, Jacksonville added Jordan Davis, Davon Godchaux and Jessie Bates, sending draft picks to the Eagles, Saints and Falcons as part of a clear push to get sturdier on that side of the ball.
For a team trying to stay in the mix, the appeal is obvious: Davis brings size up front, Godchaux adds another body to the interior and Bates gives the back end a proven presence. The cost in picks shows how aggressively Jacksonville is treating this stretch of the season, and it also leaves the bigger question of how quickly all three can settle in and make the defense look more complete. [Read more 🡒]