The Cleveland Browns may be staring at a quarterback decision that goes beyond Week 10.
With Tuesday’s 4 p.m. trade deadline closing in, Shedeur Sanders’ name has suddenly been pulled into the conversation. An ESPN Cleveland reporter floated the idea that Cleveland could try to move the second-year quarterback, even after Sanders turned in one of his best outings of the season on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Sanders entered for Deshaun Watson and delivered a strong line: 19-of-31 passing for 297 yards and two touchdowns. Cleveland had a chance to win it, but the Browns came up short after a missed two-point try in overtime.
Even with that performance, the Browns still have not settled their quarterback plan for Week 10. Head coach Todd Monken has not announced who will start against the Houston Texans, and that uncertainty has only fueled the noise around Sanders.
Tony Rizzo of ESPN Cleveland said Tuesday that a trade could be in play. “It appears that maybe they’re trying to deal Shedeur,” Rizzo said.
That speculation landed at a strange moment, because Sanders just gave Cleveland plenty to think about. The Browns reportedly intend to go back to Watson as the starter for Week 10, but Monken has not officially confirmed that.
Monken, meanwhile, made it clear he liked what he saw from Sanders after Sunday’s game. Speaking Monday, he told ESPN, “I’m awfully proud of him,” and noted that Sanders had not worked with the first-team offense in 10 weeks. Even so, Monken said the quarterback showed poise, used his legs and took what the defense gave him underneath.
“So there was a lot there to like, certainly a lot to clean up. And that would be expected from a player that hasn’t really had three days with the ones. And I thought there was a lot to build on.”
If Cleveland does decide to explore a deal, a quarterback-needy team could make the situation interesting. The Minnesota Vikings were mentioned as a possible landing spot. But as of now, the Browns have not confirmed any trade talks involving Sanders.
Cleveland still has until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday to make a move.
If Sanders stays put, any change to the quarterback picture would have to wait until the offseason. For now, his future with the Browns remains unsettled.
In Other News...
Browns Have A New Reason To Watch The Rams Closely
The Browns quarterback situation is already complicated enough after Deshaun Watsons concussion, but there is another reason the front office has had to keep one eye on the West Coast. Cleveland is tied for the AFCs last playoff seed after nine weeks, and with the offense in flux, every bit of future draft capital matters a little more than it did a month ago.
Los Angeles has been dealing with a wave of injuries, including a setback for Puka Nacua, and that could push the Rams toward adding help at receiver before the trade deadline. Cleveland has a particular interest in how aggressive they get, because the Rams currently hold the 18th overall pick in the 2027 draft, a selection that is slated to land with the Browns. If Los Angeles starts chasing reinforcements, the ripple effects could reach far beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Quarterback Uncertainty Just Got More Frustrating
After the loss to New Orleans, the Browns are back in the familiar spot of waiting on a quarterback call, and this one carries even more weight with Houston up next. Todd Monken said the decision is still open, leaving the current starter and the backup both in the mix as Cleveland tries to steady itself after another uneven showing.
The uncertainty lands at a rough time for a team already dealing with broader performance issues, especially on defense, and it only adds to the frustration around a quarterback situation that has lingered too long. For a Browns roster trying to find some traction, the next move under center now feels like part of a much bigger search for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Defense Flashed Again But One Late Problem Wont Go Away
The Browns defense kept doing what it has done all season, showing up with a disruptive front and enough depth to survive another game without Maliek Collins. Cleveland leaned on a rotation that included Myles Garrett, Cameron Thomas, and a busy group of linebackers and defensive backs, and the snap counts reflected a unit that had to keep grinding through the afternoon against the Saints.
What stood out again, though, was the same late-game issue that has followed this defense at times: the closing stretch still gets messy. Even with individual production up front and solid work from the cornerbacks, the Browns could not fully put the final stamp on the game the way they would have liked, leaving one familiar problem hanging over an otherwise encouraging defensive performance. [Read more 🡒]