Absolutely no one asked for it, but on a slow Monday morning on the NFL calendar, Cleveland sports radio was suddenly ablaze with Shedeur Sanders trade rumors that haven’t yet been backed by any firm reporting.
The firestorm started with longtime Cleveland Browns radio voice Tony Rizzo, who stated that it was his opinion that team leadership doesn’t view Sanders as a franchise quarterback and could look to trade him prior to July 28, which is the team’s full-squad reporting date for training camp. Rizzo also stated what seemed like an informed opinion that the Browns continue to take trade calls on Sanders’ availability.
Again, none of this discussion has been backed by prominent NFL insiders. The Browns’ local beat writers haven’t even chimed in. But with the league officially entering its annual monthlong slumber, it took no time for Rizzo’s comments to make the rounds on social media and have everyone with a laptop and microphone weighing in.
One of the most viral reactions came from retired NFL receiver Dez Bryant, who seemed to take the story at face value and get the Browns in trouble for something they didn't do.
“I think he’s a franchise QB and getting him out of Cleveland will be a plus for him … the Saints would be a great fit for him!” Bryant tweeted.
I think he’s a franchise QB and getting him out of Cleveland will be a plus for him… the Saints would be a great fit for him! https://t.co/UaTATZcN9d
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) June 22, 2026
No one should be slamming the Browns for their handling of Shedeur Sanders
Sanders is always going to be a lightning rod topic whether he’s playing in Colorado, Cleveland, or somewhere else.
But likening Cleveland to some sort of poison that’s limiting Sanders’ NFL career feels grossly off the mark.
The Browns were the team, after every NFL franchise passed on Sanders several times, that traded up in the fifth round to end his 2025 draft slide. They’re the team that traded Joe Flacco midseason, paving the way for Sanders to climb the depth chart and ultimately start the final seven games of his rookie season. They’re the team that’s actively welcoming a quarterback competition between Sanders and a now-healthy Deshaun Watson, who’s nearing the end of his monster contract signed in 2022 but will still earn $46 million this season whether he plays or sits.
The Browns welcomed Sanders and everything that comes with his celebrity status. By all accounts, they’ve been developing him, as the reporting this spring from Berea has highlighted a second-year player who’s showing marked improvement under the new coaching staff.
If we enter an alternate universe where sports radio conjecture becomes reality and the Browns sell off Sanders for a Day 3 draft pick? Then by all means, have at it. If that happens, Cleveland should be crushed for dumping an ascending young player whose contract is dirt cheap through the 2028 season.
But blasting the Browns for holding Sanders back is an asinine take, and that’s saying something considering what’s been flying around the internet since Monday morning.
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