It wasn’t too long ago the Dallas Cowboys acquired quarterback Trey Lance as a backup to Dak Prescott. Could the Cowboys make a similar move involving second-year Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders?
CBS Sports’s John Breech sees a Cowboys trade for Sanders as a possibility.
On Wednesday, Breech explored the potential for Sanders to be on the move before the 2026 NFL trade deadline. The analyst named five potential suitors with the Cowboys as one of them.
“If you’re making a list of landing spots for Shedeur Sanders, you might as well include the Cowboys,” Breech wrote. “Deion Sanders spent five seasons in Dallas during his Hall of Fame career, and, given that fact alone, Jerry Jones might be intrigued by the idea of bringing in Shedeur as a possible backup to Dak Prescott.”
Sanders started seven games for the Browns last season. He led Cleveland to a 3-4 record and actually earned a Pro Bowl nomination.
But this year, he has served as a backup behind a now healthy Deshaun Watson, who has Cleveland sitting at 3-2 entering Week 6.
The CBS analyst proposed Sanders could be on the move from the Browns because the quarterback hired an agent this week. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, November 10.
Cowboys Named Potential Suitor for QB Shedeur Sanders
Sanders isn’t a former top 5 draft pick like Lance was when the Cowboys acquired him. But similar to Lance a few years ago, Sanders is a former high-profiled rookie who isn’t starting for the team that drafted him.
Watson won the starting job for Cleveland this summer and has played pretty well to start 2026. If that continues, Watson, who is only 31 years old, could earn another contract from the Browns.
Should things keep trending in that direction for Watson in early November, then the Browns could pursue a Sanders trade to recoup draft capital.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that Sanders hired an agent after representing himself the first year and a half of his professional career. Breech connected the dots and argued that could be a sign a trade could happen over the next few weeks.
“The only reason it would make sense to hire an agent now is if you need some representation heading into the trade deadline,” wrote Breech. “If you have an agent, they can sniff around and see if you’re drawing any interest on the trade market, and if so, they could then try to convince your team that both sides would be better off if you moved on.”
Sam Howell is Dallas’s current backup quarterback. The Cowboys could acquire Sanders with the idea of grooming the 24-year-old as they tried to do with Lance as few years ago.
Howell is playing this season on a 1-year contract. Sanders could become the Cowboys backup quarterback in 2027 if Howell leaves in free agency.
Cowboys Floated as Potential Shedeur Sanders Trade Suitor