The New Orleans Saints are coming off their bye and preparing to play in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns have been surprisingly good this season with Deshaun Watson at quarterback, but on Wednesday, news emerged that put into question Watson’s availability to start at QB against the Saints. And as the NFL world knows, his backup is Shedeur Sanders.
So all of a sudden, there’s a scenario in which Sanders could be the starter against the Saints on Sunday.
What Happened to Deshaun Watson?
Watson is in concussion protocol.
He apparently got injured in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers — he did miss action for Sanders on one series, but then Watson returned.
Despite that, the Browns announced Wednesday that Watson is being evaluated.
This is what the Browns shared with Wednesday’s news on their official website: “During the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Steelers, Deshaun Watson took a helmet-to-helmet hit. The ATC spotter called down to the sideline, and the Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant (UNC) administered a gameday concussion evaluation. Deshaun was cleared by the UNC and returned on the Browns’ next offensive series. As part of the protocol, the team’s medical staff evaluated him again postgame and Monday morning. Both times he showed no symptoms, passed his evaluations, and was cleared. On Tuesday morning, he reported to the medical staff that he began experiencing concussion symptoms Monday night and was immediately placed in the concussion protocol.”
Concussion symptoms can be tricky, and so it’s unlikely that the Browns did anything off-base here. It just means that Watson now will have to clear the concussion protocol steps before he can play this week.
Will Shedeur Sanders Start?
If Watson can’t play on Sunday, then Sanders will get the start.
He relieved Watson just briefly on Sunday and completed 2-of-2 passes for a total of 2 yards. Sanders did throw an incompletion, but it didn’t count after the play was brought back for a penalty on the offense.
That was Sanders’ second appearance of the season. He had completed one pass for 0 yards earlier this season.
The polarizing QB out of Colorado played in eight games in 2025. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Sanders also ran 21 times for 169 yards and a TD in his rookie season.
For the Saints’ defense, Sanders is likely a slightly simpler matchup. He’s much less likely to take off and run than Watson is, and Sanders also doesn’t have immense arm strength.
Sanders is a talented enough quarterback to step in and win a football game if called upon, especially against the 2-5 Saints, but it sure would add some attention to the Cleveland-New Orleans matchup regardless of outcome if it’s No. 2 Sanders stepping onto the field on Sunday.
Shedeur Sanders Might Start This Week Vs. Saints