The Cleveland Browns are off to a surprising 3-1 start, and veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson has been playing good football. As a result, fans and media members have started to speculate about Browns backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders getting traded.
That speculation reached another level when NFL insider Dan Graziano said in an ESPN piece that “even Shedeur Sanders could be interesting to teams looking for a developmental QB who needs a change of scenery.“ Local Browns reporter Daryl Ruiter added to that conversation on Sunday and Monday, predicting two separate times that Cleveland would trade Sanders.
However, Ruiter walked that prediction back Monday afternoon, reporting that a source has told him the Browns aren’t looking to move the young quarterback. Instead, according to Ruiter’s source, Cleveland has enjoyed Sanders’ growth under Todd Monken, and the franchise is looking forward to seeing that continue.
This is in line with most of the reporting about Sanders, and Cleveland holding on to the young quarterback remains the most sensible plan for the team.
Browns don’t plan to trade Shedeur Sanders (and they shouldn’t)
It’s important to remember that Sanders was in a close quarterback battle with Watson all the way through the second preseason game. Watson was also on the verge of being benched for Sanders if the veteran QB didn’t deliver a solid performance in Week 2.
Watson responded to the noise and has been on the right path since. But that doesn’t mean Cleveland should be looking to move Sanders.
For starters, the Browns very well may still need to turn to the second-year quarterback — either because of injury or poor play. Watson played just 19 games in his first four seasons in Cleveland, so it behooves the Browns to have a backup who they are comfortable starting.
No one would be shocked if Watson’s play regressed to a point where benching him is back on the table. If that happens, why wouldn’t Cleveland want to turn to the player who almost won the job initially?
Beyond this season, Sanders remains an option to be Cleveland’s 2027 starting quarterback. The Browns’ future under center is a mystery, and if they keep winning with Watson, deciding next year’s starter could get a bit complicated. If Cleveland isn’t in position to draft a top quarterback prospect, it’s very possible that the team could have to decide between re-signing Watson or handing things over to Sanders.
If the Browns actually feel as good about Sanders as they say they do, the franchise wouldn’t want to eliminate the option of him possibly being a future starter.
Of course, everything is fluid in the NFL. If a team desperately wants Sanders, it could send a package that makes Cleveland change its stance.
However, that seems extremely unlikely, so all signs point to Sanders remaining with the Browns.
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