Given the current state of the Cleveland Browns’ offense, rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has acquitted himself well through his four NFL starts.
Has he done enough to warrant real consideration to be Cleveland’s QB1 of the future? No matter how these final three games go, that topic will be debated well into the new year.
From a bird’s eye view, Sanders hasn’t been able to elevate one of the NFL’s worst offenses. The Browns are averaging 13.3 points per game over their last three matchups, which ranks second-worst in the NFL. (For context, the Browns are averaging 16.1 points per game on the season as a whole.)
But the flair with Sanders is undeniable. Prior to last week’s road game against Chicago, Bears head coach Ben Johnson spoke about the spark that Sanders brings to Cleveland’s offense. Fans can nitpick Sanders’ overall passing stats all they want, but his ability to create, buy time, and hit big plays down the field is undeniable.
Per Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi, Sanders’ superpower is the stress he puts on the defense down the field.
“Sanders has recorded seven completions on deep passes — attempts that travel at least 20 air yards — in his four starts,” Oyefusi wrote for ESPN. “For comparison this season, Joe Flacco had four completions on deep passes in four starts for the Browns, while Dillon Gabriel had two completions on deep passes in six starts. Coaches have praised improvements in Sanders' footwork and pocket presence that have led to his execution as a passer.”
That said, it feels unlikely that the Browns will go all-in on Sanders at the start of the 2026 league year. Deshaun Watson will enter the equation in some shape or form as one of the NFL’s highest-paid players, Dillon Gabriel is still in the building as a third-round draft pick, and, similar to last spring, the Browns will almost certainly add more competition to the QB room in an attempt to make the best decision possible.
Updated 2026 mock draft has Browns going quarterback with a top-five draft pick
We’re still more than four months away from the 2026 NFL Draft, but the major storyline for the Browns will be no secret. With two first-round selections, one likely falling within the top-five picks, and another likely later on Day 1 by virtue of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland will have to decide whether to take one of the top QBs on the board, or stand pat with their current group and build at other positions of need, like wide receiver and left tackle.
Early mock drafts already have the Browns going in both directions. The latest, from FanSided’s NFL Spin Zone, has the team adding competition for Sanders, Watson, and Gabriel in the form of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
“The Cleveland Browns might be left with scraps at the QB position in this mock draft. With the fourth pick, they grab Ty Simpson from Alabama. The Browns also have the Jacksonville Jaguars' first-round pick, so they could get frisky in Round 1 if they wanted to.” — Lou Scataglia
In this draft, the Browns could very well find themselves in a similar spot to last year, holding a premium draft pick in a thin overall quarterback class. The perceived drop-off after Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore is wide enough to keep all options on the table for Cleveland. They could package their picks and move up (if they’re not in the top two already), stick and pick, or could certainly look to trade back again with an eye on continuing to infuse the roster with young talent at key areas of need.
Given the current landscape in college football, it probably makes the most sense to rebuild the offensive line and skill position groups first, and then reevaluate the QB situation in 2027 — when some premium prospects like Arch Manning, Julian Sayin, Dylan Raiola, and DJ Lagway are expected to enter the draft pool. By that point, the Watson saga will be over in Cleveland, and we’ll have a larger sample size of both Sanders and Gabriel to make a more informed decision at QB1.
The reality right now? We don’t even know if general manager Andrew Berry will be back in 2026. The Browns have a long way to go, but the fans are clearly backing Sanders despite the team’s continued struggles, and the majority seem to favor the idea of letting Sanders duel it out with Watson next summer.