The Browns got a real look at what life could look like with Shedeur Sanders under center, and he didn’t waste the chance.
Thrown into the starting job after Deshaun Watson landed in concussion protocol and then was ruled inactive for Sunday’s trip to New Orleans, Sanders stepped in and delivered a performance that gave Cleveland something to think about. He finished with 297 passing yards, two touchdowns and 28 rushing yards, showing flashes of why the Browns see upside in the 24-year-old. The poise wasn’t perfect, and the growing pains were there, especially when plays broke down, but he settled in and handled the offense better as the game wore on.
Even with Sanders making big plays late, Cleveland came up just short in overtime, falling 23-22.
That leaves the Browns with a decision they expected to face eventually, just not quite like this. The question now is whether Sanders has done enough to earn a longer run, or whether Watson remains the guy when healthy.
There’s plenty to like about Sanders beyond the box score. He’s only in his second NFL season, and the appeal is obvious: a younger quarterback with room to grow and a ceiling that looks higher simply because of where he is in his career. If the Browns chose to ride with him the rest of the way, it would signal a continued commitment to youth across the roster.
It would also give young pass catchers like Harold Fannin Jr., KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston more time to build chemistry with what could be the offense’s future quarterback.
But the Browns are also 5-3 through eight weeks and still in position to chase a playoff spot, which makes this a tougher call than a simple “play the hot hand” debate. Experience matters, and Watson has already given Cleveland enough to justify staying in the driver’s seat.
Through 2026, Watson has thrown for 1,806 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 65.5% of his passes. He’s also posted back-to-back 300-yard games in his two most recent starts, which is no small thing. Those are his best numbers since the 2020 season, when he was still with the Texans.
That production, paired with the fact that Watson carries the biggest contract in franchise history, makes the path forward pretty clear. The Browns may discuss the possibility of keeping Sanders in place for a Week 10 matchup with Houston, but the expectation is that Watson will reclaim the job once he’s healthy.
Todd Monken, his staff and the front office will sort through the options, but even after Sanders’ strong showing in New Orleans, it’s hard to see Watson staying on the sideline for long.
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Browns Chaos Took Another Strange Turn In A Brutal Loss
The Browns latest week of chaos had an odd pregame twist before the loss to the Saints, when head coach Todd Monken was recorded laughing about quarterback Shedeur Sanders asking for plays that were not in the teams playbook. It was the kind of detail that fit the strange, uneasy feel around Cleveland right now, where even the buildup to a close game seemed to carry its own subplot.
Sanders then helped fuel the afternoons biggest swing anyway, uncorking a 64-yard touchdown to rookie wide receiver KC Concepion in the fourth quarter to briefly put Cleveland in front. But the Browns could not finish the job, and after choosing to go for two instead of settling for a tie, they wound up losing in overtime in a game that only deepened the sense that nothing around this team comes easily. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Defense Has One Early Problem Holding Back A Playoff Run
The Browns have otherwise looked like a defense built to carry a playoff push, but the opening quarter has been a stubborn problem. Cleveland has been at its worst early, allowing more points, yards and yards per play in the first quarter than in any other stretch, even as the unit settles in and performs much better once the game moves on.
Mike Rutenbergs game plans have come under the microscope because the issues appear to be tied to how the defense starts, not how it finishes. That matters for a team with postseason expectations, because the Browns can afford a lot less margin for error if the early script keeps putting them behind before the defense finds its rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Shedeur Sanders Just Reopened The Browns Biggest Debate
Shedeur Sanders gave the Browns something they have been chasing all season: a reason to keep the quarterback conversation alive. In his recent start, Sanders looked more settled as the game went on and helped spark Cleveland with several significant second-half plays, giving the offense a different kind of energy than it has shown at other points this year. For a team still trying to define its identity under center, that mattered almost as much as the result itself.
Deshaun Watson remains part of the equation after leading the Browns on multiple game-winning drives earlier in the season, which is why this is no simple handoff from one passer to the next. Cleveland now has a real decision to make about who should take the next snap as the starter, and Sanders' latest outing only sharpened the debate. The Browns wanted clarity, but the performance may have made the path forward even more complicated. [Read more 🡒]