The Cleveland Browns are 3-1, and it is hard to believe that we are less than two weeks removed from standing on the brink of the extinction of the Deshaun Watson comeback experience with this team. If things had gone differently in Week 2 against Tampa Bay–a gutsy come-from-behind win in which Watson pulled the right levers in the second half, several reports noted that Watson would have been pulled as the QB1 and replaced by Shedeur Sanders. But Watson rallied the team for that win, and has now done the same three weeks in a row. For a guy so widely unliked, he has become quite the feel-good story.
None of the wins have been masterpieces, but Watson has been good enough for long enough in each of the three games to look like a competent NFL quarterback and seal the W. The more Watson and the Browns win–they’re 3-1 and in first place in the AFC North–the more it becomes clear that Sanders might have a hard time seeing the field this season.
Browns Trading a QB … Or Not
And that has set of a string of speculation and reporting that has pointed the Browns’ quarterback intentions in multiple ways. Mary Kay Cabot, the veteran Browns reporter for Cleveland.com, has reported that sources told her that even when Dillon Gabriel (back) comes off the IR and gives the Browns a four-man QB room, the Browns won’t trade a quarterback. Ian Rapoport of ESPN/NFL Media has reported the same.
Jeremy Fowler, of ESPN, has contradicted his colleague and reported the Browns would be open to moving a quarterback before the November trade deadline.
Shedeur Sanders on a Long List on QB Targets
On Friday, looking ahead to the deadline, the site offered a list of 10 candidates to be traded, with the Browns represented by receiver Jerry Jeudy. Ah, but Sanders got something of an honorable mention–the writer, Dan Graziano, predicts another quarterback will be traded after the JJ McCarthy-Giants deal. And that quarterback could be Sanders.
Writes Graziano: “Veterans Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew II, Andy Dalton and others could move if the depth charts on those teams shift over the coming weeks. Young guys such as Anthony Richardson Sr., Stetson Bennett IV or, yes, even Shedeur Sanders could be interesting to teams looking for a developmental QB who needs a change of scenery. Always watch for under-the-radar QB trades at this time of year. Again, we’ve already had one.”
That makes it only a slight chance for Sanders to be on move. And there’s still a chance that Watson, who not been durable in Cleveland, will get hurt along the way. But f Watson holds up, Sanders needs to play, so a deal might be worthwhile.
Browns’ Shedeur Sanders Among NFL QB Trade Possibilities: ESPN