Shedeur Sanders lost the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback competition and Joel Klatt feels like the former Colorado star needs a fresh start.
Klatt, appearing on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” maintained that Sanders possesses the traits necessary to become a successful NFL starter. His concern is whether Cleveland will be the place where it happens.
“He was, at minimum, the second-best quarterback in that class. Maybe the top quarterback if you just look at the football,” Klatt said. “In a lot of our estimation, he was in the conversation in the top five of the draft — maybe even the top overall pick. His play warranted that.”
Sanders instead slid to the fifth round, where the Browns selected him with the No. 144 overall pick. He has already started seven games, but Klatt believes Sanders’ eventual breakthrough may require another organization.
“In the NFL, you have to own the game from the pocket, anticipate, be accurate and tough. He’s all of those things,” Klatt said. “I still believe he’s going to work out. Somewhere, someplace. And it may not be in Cleveland. As we’ve seen with Darnold, Mayfield and others. You just might need to leave Cleveland. That place historically has been a dumpster fire when it comes to quarterback play.”
Shedeur Sanders Opening Season as Browns Backup
GettyShedeur Sanders lost the Browns’ quarterback competition against Deshaun Watson.
Sanders will open his second season behind Deshaun Watson, who was named Cleveland’s Week 1 starter after a competition that stretched through the first two preseason games.
Head coach Todd Monken acknowledged that Watson held the advantage for most of the offseason. However, Sanders’ development made the final decision much more difficult than initially anticipated.
“Ultimately, we felt over the course of training camp and the offseason that he was ahead of Shedeur,” Monken said. “Shedeur closed that gap, for sure, and that’s a credit to him, and we look forward to Shedeur continuing to grow as a player.”
Monken added: “It was close. Both guys competing their rear ends off, and it is a hard decision. I feel really good about both quarterbacks. I do.”
Sanders entered the competition after an uneven but promising rookie season. He appeared in eight games and made seven starts, posting a 3-4 record. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions while adding 169 rushing yards and another score.
The Browns favored Watson’s experience, particularly with the team opening the season on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Ultimately, it felt like to start the season on the road, Deshaun gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points,” Monken said.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Could Face Early Pressure
GettyDeshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns drops back during the first quarter of the preseason game against the Chicago Bears.
Sanders may not have to wait long for another opportunity. Watson has played only 19 games since joining the Browns in 2022, posting a 9-10 record with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He served an 11-game suspension during his first season, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery after six starts in 2023 and tore his Achilles seven games into the 2024 campaign.
Watson re-ruptured his Achilles during his recovery and missed all of last season. Cleveland traded three first-round picks for him in 2022 and handed him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
Monken stressed that the decision was “not a week-to-week” proposition and said the team expects Watson to play well. But Watson’s injury history is impossible to ignore, and his performance could create another path for Sanders even if he remains healthy.
Cleveland opens the season with two road games before returning to Huntington Bank Field for a Week 3 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. If the Browns return home at 0-2 with an offense still struggling to score, calls for Sanders will become difficult to dismiss.
Joel Klatt Rips Browns With Blunt Shedeur Sanders Warning