The Cleveland Browns entered the season with one of the worst outlooks at quarterback of any team in the NFL, pegged to start a veteran, Deshaun Watson, who had played 19 games in four years and was coming off two Achilles tendon surgeries, backed up by a second-year duo–Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel–that started 13 games last season and were rated as the two worst starters in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.
Throw in sixth-round pick Taylen Green, who is a long, long way from being an NFL-caliber starter, and this bunch was the butt of jokes.
But three straight quality starts from Watson and now, apparently, the view of the Browns quarterbacks have changed dramatically. Not only has Watson rehabbed his image as a player in the first month of the season, but apparently, so have Sanders and Gabriel, as if by proxy. With Gabriel scheduled to come off the injured reserve list soon, quiet suddenly, Browns quarterbacks are hot commodity–there has been trade chatter, both in Cleveland and nationally, suggesting teams would come and pluck either Sanders or Gabriel in the coming weeks.
NFL Teams Not Interested in Trade for Browns’ Shedeur Sanders
The logic for a Browns quarterback trade is sound–several teams are dealing with injuries, and the Browns have an extra body in the QB room–but there is a major flaw in the rumors around a potential deal. True, the Browns have indicated, through various media sources, that they’re not planning on trading Shedeur Sanders, or Dillon Gabriel for that matter.
There’s a bigger issue, too.
As Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland said on Tuesday: “First of all, there has got to be a demand, and though there are teams that are a little short at quarterback, there seems like there is a lull right now. Teams are waiting to see what they’ve got–the Giants and Jameis Winston, how long can they continue with Winston? But there doesn’t seem to be something on the verge of happening around the league at that position let alone with Shedeur Sanders. I don’t expect him to be traded.”
So, yes, the Browns don’t want to trade away Sanders. But, maybe more crucial, no one is looking to trade for Sanders, either.
Browns Shedeur Sanders Trade Rumors Have 1 Big Flaw