The Cleveland Browns have had a rough go of it over the past couple of days. Not only did they suffer a rough 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8, but now they are facing the possibility of being without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson when they return to action in Week 9, as he is currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
If Watson winds up being unable to play, that would leave Shedeur Sanders in line to draw his first start of the 2026 campaign. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for Sanders to become the center of attention in the buildup to this game, as he issued some controversial comments about the New Orleans Saints defense.
Did Shedeur Sanders Just Throw Shade at the Saints Defense?
After beginning his rookie season on the bench, Sanders eventually found his way into the starting lineup during the second half of Cleveland’s 2025 campaign. His numbers weren’t exactly great (120/212, 1,400 YDS, 7 TD, 10 INT), but he showed off enough promise to make many folks believe that he would get another crack at making the starting gig his own.
Instead, Sanders wound up losing the starting job to Watson, and he has held his own in his first action since 2024. As a result, Sanders has been glued to the sidelines, as he’s appeared in just two games, completing all three of his pass attempts for a grand total of two yards. Of course, if he starts on Sunday, those numbers will quickly increase.
Should Sanders play, he will go up against a Saints defense that hasn’t been particularly great this year. When asked about New Orleans’ defense on Wednesday, Sanders issued a rather cryptic response, seemingly indicating that he feels confident about his ability to put together a strong performance against them.
“Yeah, I’ve seen a lot. When I smile, just know that means something,” Sanders said when speaking to reporters about the Saints’ defense. “I’m maturing, you know what I’m saying? I’m maturing. Like, I could have gave that a decent answer, but now I’m just going to smile.”
Can the Browns Beat the Saints With Shedeur Sanders?
Sanders isn’t exactly afraid to draw attention to himself, and this will surely catch fans’ attention. Considering all the drama he’s dealt with early in his pro career, the Browns would probably rather have Sanders do what he can to avoid making strange comments like this, but this simply seems to be part of the show with him.
Watson has time to clear the NFL’s concussion protocol, but it’s seeming more likely than not that Sanders will start against New Orleans. If he ends up under center, he very well may have just given their defense some bulletin board material, which isn’t something you really want to do ahead of your first start of the season. Regardless of who the quarterback is, the Browns will be back in action at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday for this contest.
Browns’ Shedeur Sanders Turns Heads With Controversial Comments on Saints Defense