Shedeur Sanders gave the Cleveland Browns a glimpse of his upside against New Orleans, but the belief remains that the franchise could look for its future quarterback in the draft.
Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com pointed to the Browns’ college scouting and two first-round picks while discussing their quarterback situation on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast.
“The basic bottom line here is the fact that they need a quarterback moving forward and they have two first round picks and they have been scouting the college quarterbacks like crazy and there is a darn good chance they’re going to draft one,” Cabot said.
That outlook would create another obstacle for Sanders, who returned to the backup role after his first start of the season. Deshaun Watson will face Houston on Sunday despite Sanders throwing for 297 yards and two touchdowns without an interception in the 23-22 overtime loss to the Saints.
Cleveland owns its own 2027 first-round selection and the Rams’ pick acquired in the Myles Garrett trade. Those assets give the Browns options if they decide a college quarterback offers a better long-term answer.
Browns’ Belief in Shedeur Sanders Questioned
Dan Labbe saw a possible message in Cleveland’s continued preference for Watson. Labbe questioned whether the Browns’ decisions reflect reservations about Sanders’ ceiling.
“To me, I think that tells me something about, it’s not that they don’t like Shedeur, but it tells me that they have similar doubts that maybe I have — and maybe I’m just looking for confirmation here — that they have similar doubts that I have about his long-term viability as a franchise quarterback,” Labbe said.
Coach Todd Monken has publicly praised Sanders’ development while maintaining that Watson earned the right to keep starting.
Sanders supplied reasons for optimism against New Orleans. After throwing for just 38 yards before halftime, he helped Cleveland generate the explosive plays it needed late. He connected with KC Concepcion on a 64-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and Harold Fannin Jr. on a 39-yard score in overtime.
The performance gave Cleveland more meaningful film to evaluate. However, it did not earn Sanders the next start or a commitment beyond his current backup assignment.
Browns Have Not Settled Long-Term Quarterback Plan
Monken explained Wednesday that he considered Watson’s work across the first eight games when making the decision. Cleveland went 5-3 in those starts.
“I had no intention of Deshaun not being our starter,” Monken said.
Watson’s immediate hold on the job does not settle the offseason. His five-year, $230 million agreement runs through this season. He’ll be a free agent next offseason.
Sanders and Dillon Gabriel remain under their rookie contracts through 2028, and sixth-round rookie Taylen Green also remains on the roster. Cleveland kept all four quarterbacks through the trade deadline.
For Sanders, more starts would provide an opportunity to strengthen his case before those decisions arrive.
If Watson struggles against the Texans, the Browns could consider a change during their Week 11 bye. But for now, Watson has the assignment while Sanders waits for another opening.
Shedeur Sanders Gets Bad News on Browns’ Future as Decision Looms