The Shedeur Sanders experience has been a bit of a rollercoaster for fans of the Cleveland Browns. The team took a leap of faith on Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft when no other team seemed to trust him. The Browns, however, seemed to have their reservations as well.
Joe Flacco's early struggles and an in-game Dillon Gabriel injury forced Kevin Stefanski's hand to give Sanders a chance eight games into last season. He wasn't perfect by any means, but he gave the team a much-needed spark to hold onto the starting job for the final seven games.
Fast forward to today, and Sanders continues to work on his craft. He may not be at the top of the pecking order, but that hasn't broken his stride.
Sanders still believes he can be a franchise quarterback if given a chance.
“What did I gain from seven starts? My own point of view,” Sanders said this week. “I don’t think I’m a dumb human being, you know? I think I’m very bright. So it was kind of like figuring the lay of the land, having a better understanding of everything. So, of course, when you first get me out there, you may get me. But when I’m prepared... when I have all these different variables of things that I can control, then I’ll be able to put myself and the team in the best situation.”
The Browns might be making a mistake with Shedeur Sanders
Some have criticized Sanders for his confidence, but at least he's coachable and takes accountability. He's self-aware. He knows he wasn't good enough as a rookie and that the only way to get better is by putting in the work.
Sanders was a mixed bag every time he took the field in 2025, even early in the preseason. He often mixes highlight-reel throws with head-scratching decisions, and the advanced statistics had him ranked near the bottom in most major categories.
That said, Sanders wasn't put in a position to succeed in his first year in the league. The skill players were lacking, the offensive line was both banged up and aging, and the offensive play-caller didn't seem to trust the young quarterback. Sanders also didn't get first-team reps until midway through the season.
He has looked better in a limited sample size in his second offseason. The pocket presence and the poise are there, and he's the team's best deep-ball passer by a significant margin. On the flip side, there's the batted passes, slow processing, and overthrows that come with Sanders' inexperience.
Failing to beat this version of Deshaun Watson for the QB1 job might say everything there is to know about Sanders' potential or NFL-readiness at this point in his career. Even so, it feels like the Browns would have a ton to gain and not much to lose by just riding with him to start the season.
Sanders isn't perfect, but he's at least showing steady signs of progress, which is the only thing you can ask of a fifth-round pick entering his second year in the league. Everyone knows what Watson can bring to the table, but we haven't seen Sanders work with this year's starting offensive line or the team's new set of skill position players in a real game setting.
The Browns are unlikely to win a Super Bowl in 2026, so why not jump into the unknown with a player who's shown enough moxie and upside to warrant an extended look?
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