Browns steal Cavs’ playoff spotlight for the wrong reasons with Shedeur Sanders pick — Jimmy Watkins

Cleveland, Ohio – This city will forever remember the day when its depleted Cavaliers secured a playoff victory by an astounding 37-point margin. Absolutely not.

No Darius Garland, no sweat for the East’s best team. No chance the Heat will make this series competitive.

It's unfortunate that no Cleveland fan will recall Saturday’s victory for the correct reasons.

I'm sorry, but the Cavaliers lost with a score of 124-87. win over Miami In Game 3, it will always be remembered as The Day Andrew Berry Traded Up In The Fifth Round. Midway through the Cavaliers versus Heat game, Berry selected Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of Hall-of-Fame cornerback Deion, 144th overall.

Similarly, Jarrett Allen’s impressive 22-point effort, De’Andre Hunter’s standout playoff showing in Cleveland with 21 points, and Ty Jerome’s impactful bench play (13 points, 11 assists, plus-33 rating in just 22 minutes) faded into obscurity.

I'm still amazed that Berry went through with it. To clarify, this isn't a critique of the selection itself or the player chosen. Personally, I appreciate Sanders' precision, his understanding of the game, and how he handles himself under pressure in the pocket (few collegiate quarterbacks have had to throw from messier conditions over the past couple years). Securing what’s expected to be a first-round talent several rounds lower than anticipated is smart management.

But as is often the case with Cleveland’s beloved Browns, we’re talking less about the decision they made, more about how their powerbrokers made it. Why pick 24-year-old Dillon Gabriel In the scenario where someone is 5 feet 11 inches tall and was selected two rounds earlier, how doesSanders possess sufficient value to change your drafting approach in round five without being chosen over another player? second rookie running back One round sooner? Moreover, what level of involvement did ownership have in this shift of strategy?

As typical, we find ourselves with more quality questions than satisfactory answers. According to Berry, the Haslam family had no involvement in this decision. However, fans remain skeptical. This issue extends beyond just one team.

It divides Cleveland sports.

Other teams in town lament the oxygen levels dedicated to the dumpster fire down the street. That Rocket Arena counts Progressive Field as its neighbor is a fitting metaphor. The Cavs and Guardians are brothers in arms amid the fight for Cleveland sports meritocracy.

Huntington Bank Stadium, located 1.3 miles away on the lakefront (for now), always houses the main attraction. Through 0-16, then 1-31, and most recently the Deshaun Watson trade, this city has always been a Browns Town, no matter how infrequently fans’ love is requited.

Need I remind you? The Browns have won one (1) playoff game since returning to Cleveland in 1999. They’ve authored four winning seasons. They’ve started 40 different quarterbacks with three potential newbies on the 2025 roster.

Who am I kidding. You know these factoids. You’re likely tired of hearing them. Still, when training camp begins each summer, you can’t look away.

Meanwhile, the Cavs are thriving amid one of the NBA’s most impressive rebuilds. They started the old-fashioned way: Nineteen wins yielded Garland during the 2019 NBA draft, and 22 wins yielded 2025 Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley two years later.

The then president of basketball operations, Koby Altman, undertook a significant gamble—some would say. call it a “swing” — on star guard Donovan Mitchell, who aimed to land elsewhere and made no promise to stay long term.

It couldn't have gone more smoothly.

Cleveland is a championship contender again behind Garland, Mobley, Mitchell and Allen, not to mention a cavalcade of talented role players. Between, Jerome, Hunter, Max Strus, Sam Merrill, Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade, fans struggle to pick a favorite (though nothing beats a Jerome hot streak).

As for the Guards? Ho, hum: They’re competing for the AL Central (again) despite shedding key contributors during the offseason (again) and facing questions about their bats (again). Third baseman Jose Ramirez is building a case for best player in franchise history, and he might already be the most popular athlete in town.

Outfielder Steven Kwan remains one of baseball’s best leadoff men. Both designated hitter Kyle Manzardo (seven home runs) and second baseman Gabriel Arias (.486 slugging percentage) are producing above projections. As I write this, somebody just set off a firework downtown. I wonder if — you bet — the Guardians just won again to improve their record to 15-10. They could be tied with Detroit for first place if they sweep Saturday’s double header.

And the pitching staff, which is usually Cleveland’s calling card, hasn’t even found its groove yet.

My prediction: The Guardians steady their rotation and bullpen, then make the playoffs for a seventh time in 10 seasons. The Cavs sweep Miami and handle Indiana or Milwaukee in Round 2, then push the Celtics to at least six games. And the Browns (3-14), who just drafted their most famous (if not most important) player in the fifth round, will dominate our sports zeitgeist with grainy practice footage.

In the Browns' quarterback clash of the century, who do you think will come out on top between Sanders, Gabriel, Joe Flacco, and Kenny Pickett?

It isn’t right, yet it’s football. No other sport, event, or form of entertainment captures this nation’s focus quite like a game starting at 1 p.m. No city adores its home team as much as Cleveland cherishes the Browns. Sadly, this implies that nothing the Cavaliers achieve, regardless of how remarkable, can overshadow the drama surrounding the Browns.

The manner in which Jerome turned the tide in Game 3 during the opening quarter? The seamless partnership between Strus and Allen? The Cavaliers' stifling defensive display?

All footnotes to the controversy sparked by the city’s beloved team. For those fans who disapprove, let me pose this question:

Did you catch the whole of Cleveland's commanding performance in Game 3 against Miami as it happened? Or did you switch to another channel at halftime to follow day three of the Browns' draft proceedings?

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