Quarterback uncertainty is still hanging over the NFL, and Cleveland’s room is no exception. That has put Shedeur Sanders back in the middle of the conversation, with one prominent local voice now saying the Browns could move him before the trade deadline.
ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Rizzo laid out the scenario on Wednesday morning, predicting Cleveland would deal Sanders and settle into a different pecking order behind Deshaun Watson.
“I think the Browns deal Shedeur before the deadline, I think Gabriel’s your backup and Taylen Green is your third. I think Deshaun could start a dozen games.
I do. I hope so.”
Rizzo’s read depends on Watson continuing to look better early in the season. After the Week 2 win, head coach Todd Monken pointed to Watson’s mobility and said the quarterback had specifically asked the staff to use it more. Monken also highlighted a handful of key plays on third down and in the designed-run game.
“Well, it has to be a weapon for him and us to use his legs. He is athletic.
He has a good feeling for that. And he certainly…he’s asked for it.
He said, ‘don’t be afraid to use my legs.’ And so that’s been a big part the first couple of weeks.
And he made a number of plays with his legs, a couple of big third downs, one a design run, one a scramble, did a nice job on a naked where we didn’t get off on the snap count. He dumped it down to Harold (Fannin Jr.) for a first down.
So, you can certainly see that there’s a lot to clean up, but that definitely showed up.”
The idea of Sanders being available is not new. Rizzo had already floated the possibility over the summer, when he said there were calls about Sanders’ availability, though nothing ever turned into a deal.
There is still time for the situation to change. The NFL trade deadline is about seven weeks away, and teams like the Giants, Commanders and Falcons are among those dealing with quarterback injuries or uncertainty that could shape the market.
For now, Cleveland has Sanders listed as Watson’s backup on the official Week 1 depth chart. Dillon Gabriel is expected back from injured reserve in Week 5, which would change the room again, while Taylen Green is in the mix as well.
Sanders did show improvement in camp and the preseason after a mixed rookie year that included seven starts. Cleveland has already laid out its 2026 plans for him, but the quarterback room remains open enough that a trade would not be out of the question if Watson stays steady and the Browns feel comfortable with the depth behind him.
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