Buccaneers Urged to Stop ‘Free Fall’ by Drafting Shedeur Sanders as Backup QB

There have been a lot of great quarterbacks drafted between the fourth round through the seventh round of the NFL draft.

The highest paid player in the NFL, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, was a fourth round pick. So was Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant — the final pick in the entire draft.

The greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady, was a sixth round pick.

None of them were selected to be starting quarterbacks. All ended up there because of injuries to incumbent starters.

That might be the only path moving forward for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who entered the third day of the 2025 NFL draft in a free fall unlike any in NFL history. That’s why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should take him with their fourth round pick (No. 121 overall), end Sanders’ draft slide and upgrade at backup quarterback with value that surpasses any other player left on the board.

“It is 100 percent the main conversation about this draft, to this point,” NFL Network’s Rich Eisen said after the end of the third round. “It is all anyone is talking about.”

While the locker room aspect of the pick might need some finesse — or maybe not — the sheer value in terms of finances should draw the Buccaneers in. Sanders was projected as high as No. 3 overall to the New York Giants, where he would have been in line for a 4-year, $45.1 million contract.

At the No. 121 overall pick, he would receive a 4-year, $5.1 million contract.

For Sanders, there might not be a better option right now than an elevated apprenticeship in 2025. Why not behind Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay?

Sanders, Mayfield Have Similar QB Styles

Sanders and Mayfield are incredibly similar quarterbacks — tough-nosed and accurate drop back passers who will stay in the pocket and take a hit in order to make a play.

Their numbers from their final college seasons are even similar. In 2017 at Oklahoma, Mayfield threw for 4,627 yards, 43 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in 14 games while completing 70.5 percent of his passes.

In 2024 at Colorado, Sanders threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 13 games while completing 74 percent of his passes.

Mayfield’s Own Rollercoaster NFL Ride

Mayfield can speak better than anyone that where you’re picked in the draft has little to do with your NFL future.

Selected No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL draft, Mayfield was unceremoniously cast aside before the 2022 season as the Browns traded three fist round picks for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, then signed him to a fully guaranteed, 5-year, $230 million contract — widely though of as the worst contract in NFL history.

Traded to the Carolina Panthers, Mayfield spent 2022 with the Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams before signing a 1-year, $3 million “prove it” deal with the Buccaneers in March 2023.

Mayfield has thrown for over 4,000 yards each of the last 2 seasons and led the Buccaneers to consecutive NFC South Division titles. He also made his first 2 Pro Bowls and signed a 3-year, $100 million contract with Tampa Bay in March 2024.

The Buccaneers have had the same backup quarterback the last 4 seasons with 2021 second round pick Kyle Trask, who signed a 1-year, $2.78 million contract in March 2025.