Shedeur Sanders may already be staring at a real fight for his spot, and the twist comes from a surprising name on the waiver wire.
The Cleveland Browns have made it clear they’re giving Deshaun Watson another shot, even as plenty of fans have been pushing for Sanders to take over at QB1 before Week 1. That noise has only grown louder online, but the money situation matters here, too. Cleveland still owes Watson a massive amount, which is why Sanders is projected to handle backup duties this season unless something dramatic changes before kickoff.
That “something” might have arrived after Sunday’s round of cuts and roster moves, when the Dallas Cowboys waived backup quarterback Joe Milton. A lot of people expected Milton to be Dak Prescott’s top backup, so seeing him land on the waiver wire was a surprise. Even after a strong preseason showing, he’s suddenly available.
If the Browns decide to make a run at Milton, the fallout could hit Sanders directly. Because Watson’s contract is what it is, Cleveland’s decision would likely come down to Sanders or rookie Taylen Green.
The team could easily lean toward Green, who has shown promise at the NFL level. In that scenario, Sanders could be the one pushed out.
The tension around Watson isn’t exactly subtle, either. Browns fans made that clear during a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, when they booed their starting quarterback relentlessly.
Sanders, though, didn’t join in on the frustration. He took the high road and addressed the fan reaction bluntly: “I don’t appreciate that at all,” Sanders said.
“Just, regardless of competition, we all human beings, and I think we all need to understand that.”
He followed that by showing appreciation for the crowd while still asking for a little perspective. “Just for all the fans and everything, I really appreciate ya’ll showing up and everything. And however ya’ll feel about the situation, about with Deshaun, about with everything, still I think it’s about bigger purpose of just respect,” he continued.
It was a measured response in a situation that’s getting messier by the day.
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Browns Rookie Tackle Is Already Changing The Andrew Berry Debate
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Fanos early work has drawn positive reviews from both media observers and teammates, which matters because this is the kind of pick that can shape how a front office is judged for years. If he settles in quickly and holds up where Cleveland needs him most, the conversation around Berrys draft-night move will look a lot different than it did when the pick was made. [Read more 🡒]