Shedeur Sanders is active for the Cleveland Browns’ game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, but Deshaun Watson is getting the start.
Sanders has no injury designation and will serve as Cleveland’s backup at Huntington Bank Field. He is available if the Browns need to replace Watson, although his active status does not guarantee he will take a snap.
The Browns’ official inactive list includes Dillon Gabriel, designated as the emergency third quarterback, and rookie Taylen Green. Sanders remains ahead of both in Cleveland’s quarterback pecking order. Gabriel can only play if both Sanders and Watson are injured.
The decision comes one week after Sanders threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints. That performance gave Cleveland a chance to win, but coach Todd Monken said Watson’s work over his first eight starts justified returning him to the lineup.
“I had no intention of Deshaun not being our starter,” Monken said Wednesday.
Why Isn’t Shedeur Sanders Starting Against the Texans?
Sanders’ opportunity against New Orleans came because Watson was unavailable following a concussion. Watson took a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 1. He was evaluated and returned to that game, but later reported symptoms and entered concussion protocol ahead of the Saints matchup.
Sanders handled the first-team reps while Watson missed the first two practices of the week. Watson returned in a limited capacity Friday but did not take team reps. He cleared concussion protocol Saturday but the Browns still kept him inactive against New Orleans.
Monken initially held off on naming a starter for Houston, saying Monday that he wanted to discuss the Saints game further with his offensive staff. By Wednesday, he confirmed Watson would return.
Cleveland went 5-3 in Watson’s first eight starts, with fourth-quarter go-ahead drives in all five victories. Monken pointed to that larger body of work when explaining his decision.
Shedeur Sanders Made His Case Against the Saints
Sanders gave the Browns something to consider in his first start of the season. The second-year quarterback completed 19 of 31 passes for 297 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in the 23-22 overtime loss. He added 28 rushing yards and finished with a 114.6 passer rating despite taking five sacks.
Sanders connected with KC Concepcion for a 64-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, then found Harold Fannin Jr. for a 39-yard score in overtime. Cleveland’s attempt to win on a two-point conversion failed, leaving the Browns at 5-4.
Before that game, Sanders had attempted just three passes all season. His performance offered a more substantial look at what Cleveland has behind Watson. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport addressed Watson’s job security on “NFL GameDay Morning” before Sunday’s matchup.
“He is the entrenched starter and that is the way it’s going to stay unless something drastic happens,” Rapoport said.
The Browns enter their bye week after facing Houston, with their next game against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 29. Sanders remains available Sunday, but another start will require a change in Cleveland’s plans or Watson’s availability.
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