Shedeur Sanders Gets the Keys in Cleveland - And He Might Not Be Giving Them Back Anytime Soon
The Cleveland Browns are turning the page at quarterback - and for now, the chapter belongs to Shedeur Sanders.
With rookie Dillon Gabriel sidelined by a concussion, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has named Sanders the starter for Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans. And based on the latest reports, it’s not just a one-week audition - this could be Sanders’ job for the rest of the season.
Sanders, who made his first NFL start in a win, followed it up with a tough outing in a blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13. Still, Stefanski is sticking with the 23-year-old rookie, and the organization appears ready to give him an extended look under center.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, speaking on 92.3 The Fan, the Browns are preparing to ride with Sanders the rest of the way. “I don’t think you’re going to see Dillon Gabriel on the field (again) this season, unless Shedeur has to come out of the game for one reason or another,” Cabot said.
“I think that it’s going to be Shedeur the rest of the way, because I think they do see something in him. And they want to know, do they need to draft a quarterback in April?”
That’s the key question in Cleveland right now. The Browns need to know whether Sanders is a long-term answer or just a placeholder. And the only way to find out is to let him play - even if the learning curve is steep.
A Winding Road to QB1
The Browns’ quarterback carousel has spun more than a few times this season. They opened the year with 40-year-old Joe Flacco, who was solid but unspectacular in four starts. After a 1-3 stretch, Cleveland traded Flacco to division rival Cincinnati, where the Bengals were scrambling for a replacement following Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury.
That opened the door for Gabriel, who started six games before suffering a concussion in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. Gabriel’s run was rocky - a 1-5 record with seven touchdowns and two interceptions - and the offense never found consistent rhythm under his command.
Enter Sanders.
The former Colorado star had to wait his turn, but now that he’s in the spotlight, the Browns want to see what he can do with it. His NFL debut came with a win, but the follow-up against San Francisco was a harsh welcome to the league’s elite defenses. Still, Stefanski and the Browns’ front office aren’t pulling the plug - far from it.
What’s at Stake for Sanders? Everything.
Let’s be real: this is a golden opportunity for Shedeur Sanders. A fifth-round pick with plenty of college highlights but questions about how his game would translate to the pros, he now has a chance to silence those doubts - or at least start to.
And he’s not exactly working with a stacked deck. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, expected to be Sanders’ top target, is having a frustrating season.
The offensive line has had its ups and downs. The run game has been inconsistent.
It’s not an ideal environment for a rookie quarterback, but that’s part of the evaluation. If Sanders can flash the same poise, accuracy, and playmaking ability he showed at Colorado, even in a less-than-perfect situation, that’ll speak volumes.
This stretch run isn’t just about wins and losses - it’s about proving he belongs. If Sanders can string together a few solid performances, he could lock down the QB1 role heading into 2026. If not, the Browns could be looking at yet another quarterback search come draft season.
The Bottom Line
There’s no sugarcoating it - Cleveland’s quarterback situation has been in flux all year. But now, with Shedeur Sanders at the helm, the Browns are finally committing to a direction, at least for the short term.
It’s a high-stakes audition for a young quarterback with plenty to prove. And for the Browns, it’s a chance to evaluate whether they’ve already got their guy - or if the search continues in April.
Either way, the next few weeks in Cleveland just got a lot more interesting.