Shedeur Sanders is finally stepping into the moment he has been waiting for. He went through the long draft slide and waited behind two quarterbacks in The Land. Now the door is open. However, before he even walked through it, Ryan Clark dropped a prediction that instantly changed the temperature around the Browns’ locker room.

Fast Take shared a clip on X. In the video, Clark talked directly about Shedeur’s future

“This game against the Raiders is [Shedeur Sanders’] only chance… If Shedeur plays well against the Raiders and wins, he should be the starter.”

His tone felt more like a warning than simple analysis. Yet the concern is real because the last game did not go well for Sanders.

He saw his first real NFL action against the Baltimore Ravens in Charm City during a 23-16 loss. He came in after Dillon Gabriel went down. Sanders completed just 4 of 16 attempts for 47 yards and one interception. Still, some Browns fans argued that he had no first-team reps. They believe that the lack of rhythm made his debut harder.

Meanwhile, Rob Gronkowski sees the situation differently. He actually believes Sanders is about to flip the entire script in Sin City.

While talking with Kay Adams, Gronk said, “You can’t ask for a better opportunity to have your first career start. It’s going to the Raiders, the worst team in the NFL. I think he gets a win, and I think he stays consistent, and he remains the starting QB of the Cleveland Browns.”

So, both Clark and Gronk seem to agree on one thing. If Sanders delivers, he stays QB1. However, before the game, Sanders also got a strong warning. Although, Gronk also believes that the debut was a ‘disaster’ for Sanders.

Maxx Crosby will make Shedeur Sanders’ first start miserable

Maxx Crosby made things clear this week. On his show, The Rush with Maxx Crosby, the star defender opened up about his long relationship with the Sanders family. He spoke with ease about their bond. However, he also delivered a direct message to Shedeur Sanders before Sunday’s showdown in Sin City.

“Regardless, we have a job to get done, and we got to make his life miserable. We got to shut down their offense for us to have a chance. I got a ton of respect for, obviously, OG Deion (Sanders) and his whole family. They’re great people, and it’ll be fun.”

His words felt friendly at first, yet the tone quickly shifted to business. Raider Nation knows that feeling well. Meanwhile, Crosby and Sanders share real history.

Both grew up in Texas, and both often talked about their friendship. Their older brothers, Myles Crosby and Deion Sanders Jr., even lived together and played for SMU back in 2014. That connection built a bridge between the families long before this week’s matchup.

Crosby first met Shedeur when both were teenagers. The two stayed close, as Shedeur even appeared on Crosby’s podcast before the 2025 NFL Draft.

However, once they step onto the field, that friendship pauses. Crosby will chase him like any other quarterback, and Sanders will try to carve up the Silver and Black to prove he belongs.