Assessing Browns QB Shedeur Sanders’ Chances Of Starting In 2026
Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders came into the season with plenty to prove. Once projected to be a top draft pick, Sanders entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick and the fourth in line at his position in Cleveland. Finally getting his chance to start, Sanders has been a mixed bag so far in his efforts to prove he belongs.
His NFL debut came in the exact manner the Browns had feared it might, as an injury replacement in an offense designed for another passer. Some ugly stats on the box score discredit the reality, which was that Sanders put his team in a decent position for a late-game tying score against the division rival Ravens.
The next week, in Las Vegas, Sanders logged both his first NFL start and his first NFL win. Working under a gameplan designed completely around him, Sanders showed small improvements. Browns coaches kept the gameplan simple, focusing on quick reads and easy completions. In his second start, against the 49ers, Sanders had a more efficient performance, sporting a higher completion percentage while being interception-free for the first time, but the offense ultimately struggled to create and Sanders took a few too many sacks.
Last week, he dueled with a fellow rookie, No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Though Ward walked away with the win, Sanders owned the superior stat line. With Cleveland’s staff incrementally injecting more and more each week into the offensive gameplan, Sanders looked comfortable for much of the game as he put up a career-high 364 passing yards. Today, against the Bears, felt like a major regression, though. A blowout loss with three interceptions and five sacks had Sanders looking very much the part of the fifth-round rookie.
The highs and lows in this short sample of his rookie campaign rightfully has fans asking: does he deserve a chance at the starting job in 2026? Or should the Browns continue in their presumed plans to draft a quarterback with one of their two first-round picks next year? Mike Sando, Jeff Howe, and Zak Keefer of The Athletic touched on the topic in a round table yesterday.
Even without the knowledge of today’s brutal performance, the consensus was much more short-sighted. Essentially, The Athletic staffers asserted that Sanders hasn’t quite earned anything that far in the future just yet, but he has earned the right to keep proving himself this season. With more games like he had against the Titans, Sanders could absolutely show the Browns he’s worthy of strong consideration. Any more performances like today, though, and Sanders may rule himself out quicker than expected.
Another consideration they discussed was the fact that potential leadership changes in the offseason could even alter who is making the decision to give Sanders a chance next year. Regardless, whoever is making decisions when the draft comes around will be highly encouraged to draft a quarterback if they like that prospect more than Sanders. The current rookie has not yet done enough to prevent that from being a priority next year, but he’ll continue to get every opportunity for now.
Shedeur Sanders To Serve As Browns’ Starter For Remainder Of Season
Since taking over starting quarterback duties, Shedeur Sanders has played his way into an extended look atop the depth chart. Cleveland will stick with the oft-discussed rookie the rest of the way.
When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Sanders will operate as the team’s QB1 for the remainder of the season. That update comes as little surprise based on the performance from fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel prior to his concussion. That absence opened the door for Sanders to start three games in a row, and that figure will extend to seven.
“I’ve been really impressed by his work ethic, going back to when he got here,” Stefanski said of Sanders (via Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand). “When they embrace it, that’s the fun part. He’s still very early in his career. There’s moments in games that are hard to replicate in practice.”
The Browns cleared out their QB logjam to a degree by trading away Kenny Pickett shortly before the start of the season. In the wake of Joe Burrow‘s injury, Joe Flacco went from serving as Cleveland’s starter to being dealt to Cincinnati. That opened the door for Gabriel to make six starts before missing time due to the concussion. Since then – and as many predicted prior to the beginning of the campaign – it has been Sanders at the helm, something which will remain the case moving forward.
The Browns only have a single win in Sanders’ three starts, but the Colorado star has shown flashes under center. In his three starts, Sanders has completed 57 percent of his passes for 722 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Three of those scores came during yesterday’s loss to the Titans, a game in which the QB also tallied 29 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
We heard recently that while Sanders will be granted a long leash for the remainder of this season, he won’t be guaranteed the QB1 role in 2026. The Browns will still likely have Deshaun Watson on the books next year, and the team could use their first-round pick at the position. Still, Sanders has a chance to make a lasting impression on the organization as he looks to retain his role next year.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Shedeur Sanders Not Guaranteed QB1 Role In 2026, Deshaun Watson Unlikely To Play In 2025
Shedeur Sanders hasn’t looked completely hopeless through the first two starts of his career, but the Browns aren’t ready to hand him the reins. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano write, the rookie quarterback will be afforded a long leash through the end of the 2025 season, but Sanders is unlikely to be guaranteed the QB1 role for 2026 unless he “lights it up.”
[RELATED: Browns Open Deshaun Watson’s Practice Window]
As Fowler notes, Sanders has reinforced the coaching staff’s belief that he’s able to limit turnovers; the rookie has only thrown a pair of picks this season, although one of those was during a relief appearance in Week 11. And, while Sanders had a reputation for taking an unsustainable amount of sacks during his college career, he’s only been sacked four times in his two starts.
At the same time, the Browns understand that the fifth-round pick may not be their answer at the position, especially since the team could easily pursue an alternative via free agency or the draft this offseason. The team also has Dillon Gabriel on the roster, although Fowler notes that the rookie third-round pick projects as more of a capable QB2. Rival coaches opined that Gabriel is further along in his development than Sanders, but there’s also a belief that Sanders has a higher upside with his arm strength and larger frame.
Either way, the Browns will use the final stretch of the season to see if Sanders or Gabriel may be their answer for the 2026 season. The team already gave Gabriel six starts, and it appears the coaching staff is determined to give Sanders a similar amount of reps before the season is through. As Fowler notes, it’s pertinent that the franchise knows whether their 2026 starter is currently on the roster.
Of course, Deshaun Watson‘s recent return to practice slightly complicates things. However, sources told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that the highly paid quarterback only has a slim chance of seeing the field in 2025. The veteran will continue to take limited practice reps, but Jones estimates that Watson will only have 10 practices under his belt by the time the Browns have to make a decision on his activation for Week 17.
Taking into account the player’s lengthy rehab of a torn Achilles, it seems the organization simply wants to give Watson some practice reps ahead of the 2026 offseason. Considering the quarterback’s release would leave the organization with a record-breaking $80MM in dead cap for the 2026 season, it’s all but certain that Watson will remain on the roster next year. If neither Sanders nor Gabriel establish themselves as a sure-thing starter heading into the offseason, the Browns seem destined to have at least a four-man competition for the QB1 spot during next year’s training camp and preseason.
Browns Open To Giving Shedeur Sanders ‘Extended Look’ As Starting QB
NOVEMBER 30: In the wake of the Browns’ loss on Sunday, Stefanski confirmed to little surprise (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com) that Sanders will get the nod once again next week. His third consecutive start will come against the Titans.
NOVEMBER 29: Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make the second start of his career on Sunday against the 49ers. The team is open to giving Sanders an “extended look” as its starter beyond then, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
A fifth-round pick after a decorated career at Colorado, Sanders made his NFL debut when rookie third-rounder Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion in a Week 11 loss to the Ravens. Sanders completed just 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception in relief.
With Gabriel’s concussion holding him out last week, Sanders took the reins against the Raiders. After a full week receiving first-team reps, Sanders finished 11 of 20 for 209 yards, a touchdown, and a pick. The Browns picked up a 24-10 victory to improve to 3-8.
Although Gabriel cleared concussion protocol on Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that he’s sticking with Sanders. Stefanski’s decision didn’t come as a surprise on the heels of a win with Sanders at the helm. Gabriel’s struggles when healthy surely made it an even easier choice for Stefanski.
The Browns stumbled to a 1-5 mark between Gabriel’s promotion to the starting role in Week 5 and his concussion. Gabriel only managed 116 passing yards in his lone win, a 31-6 blowout over the Dolphins in Week 7. The left-hander from Oregon has thrown seven touchdowns against two interceptions, but he has completed just 59.2% of passes and averaged a meager 5.1 yards per attempt. He ranks 31st among 33 qualifiers in QBR, beating out the Raiders’ Geno Smith and the Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy.
While Sanders didn’t exactly light it up against the Raiders, he doesn’t have a high bar to clear to outdo Gabriel’s output. It also helps that practice squad signal-caller Bailey Zappe is the only other healthy QB in the fold. It’s too early to say Gabriel won’t turn into an NFL-caliber starter, but he hasn’t looked the part yet. With that in mind, it makes sense for the out-of-contention Browns to give Sanders a longer look as they map out their future.
Assuming the Browns no longer regard the injured Deshaun Watson as the answer, they’ll need to find a franchise quarterback somewhere. If the Browns don’t believe they have one in Gabriel or Sanders when the offseason rolls around, they’ll have to consider upgrading in free agency, the trade market, and the draft. The 2026 rookie QB class hasn’t drawn rave reviews, but with the Browns set to enter the draft with two first-rounders (one from Jacksonville), that may be their best hope for a long-term solution.
Dillon Gabriel Clears Concussion Protocol; Browns To Start Shedeur Sanders In Week 13
Shedeur Sanders made his first career start yesterday. His ascension to the top of the depth chart was made out of necessity, but his second start will come by way of a coaching decision.
[RELATED: GM Andrew Berry, HC Kevin Stefanski On Hot Seat?]
Kevin Stefanski said on Monday that Dillon Gabriel has cleared concussion protocol. Nevertheless, the Browns will give the nod once again to Sanders in Week 13. Cleveland won 24-10 in Vegas yesterday, and the team will give its fifth-round rookie at least one more look as a result.
“The number one job of a quarterback is to win,” Stefanski said (via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi). “So, excited to get that first win under his belt. And the next thing is improvement, and that’s what young players do… You get one game better, and that’s just from working at it. So, that’ll be our focus.”
Gabriel’s concussion left him sidelined for Week 12, ending a run of five consecutive starts. The third-rounder was limited to the first half of the Browns’ game against the Ravens the previous week. That allowed Sanders to finish the contest in his place. During that time, Sanders completed just four of 16 pass attempts while being intercepted once and sacked twice.
A full week of practice with the starting offense – a first in Sanders’ case given Cleveland’s logjam at quarterback through training camp and the start of the season – resulted in increased expectations for his first career start. The Colorado product had an up-and-down day highlighted on one hand by a 52-yard completion to Isaiah Bond and on the other hand by an avoidable interception. Overall, Sanders went 11-for-2o passing for 209 yards, one touchdown and one pick.
Improvement on those numbers will obviously be a goal moving forward, and future opponents will in many cases prove to be more challenging than the Raiders. Cleveland’s next game will be at home against San Francisco. Sanders and the Browns will look to build off the momentum from yesterday’s contest in Week 13 and moving forward.
When asked if this is a permanent decision, Stefanski said his attention is only focused on this week. As a result, the door could be open to Dillon – who has posted only a 5.1 yards per attempt average while completing just 59.2% of his passes – returning to the QB1 spot. Much will of course depend on how Sanders fares this coming Sunday. A win against the 49ers would make him the first rookie Browns passer since Bernie Kosar in 1985 to begin a career 2-0.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/25
Here are Week 12’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Sunday slate tomorrow:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: CB Darren Hall
- Elevated: TE Pharaoh Brown, LB Channing Tindall
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: LB Chandler Martin, CB Amani Oruwariye
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: RB Gary Brightwell, CB Jalen Davis
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: QB Bailey Zappe
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: LB Jamon Johnson, RB Pierre Strong
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed from practice squad: S Tanner Ingle
- Elevated: LB Elias Neal, WR Brennan Presley
New England Patriots
- Elevated: DT Jeremiah Pharms
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Dante Pettis, G William Sherman
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/PUP: RB Eric Gray
- Elevated: LB Swayze Bozeman, WR Dalen Cambre
- Placed on IR: TE Thomas Fidone II
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
- Waived: LB Ja’Markis Weston
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: LB Patrick O’Connell, LB Jamie Sheriff
- Placed on IR: WR Tory Horton (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: S Marcus Banks
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: RB Kalel Mullings
- Elevated: WR Xavier Restrepo
There hasn’t been much of an update since it was reported that rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was going through the league’s concussion protocol. He was able to get some limited practice time in yesterday, but he hasn’t yet been cleared. With Gabriel’s status up in the air, Zappe is getting called up in case he’s needed to back up the new starting rookie, Shedeur Sanders.
O’Connell and Sheriff are getting called up with linebackers Tyrice Knight out with a concussion and Ernest Jones questionable with a knee injury. This will be O’Connell’s third and final practice squad elevation, so if the Seahawks wants to see him play again this year, they will need to sign him to the active roster.
Browns’ Shedeur Sanders To Start In Week 12
With Dillon Gabriel in concussion protocol, the 2-8 Browns will turn to their third starting quarterback of the season in Week 12. Fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders will get the nod against the Raiders on Sunday, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced.
Gabriel suffered his injury in last Sunday’s loss to the Ravens, paving the way for Sanders’ NFL debut. He completed 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception in relief of Gabriel, a third-round rookie who has struggled mightily since taking over in Week 5.
The Browns named Gabriel their starter after trading Joe Flacco to the Bengals on Oct. 7. The left-hander has tossed seven touchdowns against two interceptions in eight games, but he has posted a subpar 59.2 completion percentage and an 80.8 passer rating. His 30.9 QBR ranks 32nd in the NFL.
Stefanski said Gabriel’s health is “improving,” but not quickly enough for him to play against another 2-8 team this weekend. Sanders will get all the first-team reps in practice this week, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. That should give Sanders a better chance to succeed than he had when he came off the bench in Week 11.
There may not have been a more polarizing prospect in last spring’s draft than Sanders. Many expected him to go in the first round, but the former Colorado standout fell all the way to pick 144. Even though the Browns took Gabriel two rounds earlier, they couldn’t pass on Sanders’ value in Round 5. They traded up for the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, which came after some teams reportedly removed Sanders from their draft boards. Various clubs had concerns that Sanders didn’t take his pre-draft interviews seriously, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote in May.
While the Ravens were prepared to use the 141st pick on Sanders, he was reportedly uninterested in joining a team with an established QB. AFC North rival Cleveland presented a clearer path to playing time than Baltimore, which has two-time MVP Lamar Jackson entrenched as its signal-caller.
Sanders will now have at least one week to make his case to serve as the Browns’ starter for the rest of the season. Poised to finish near the bottom of the league standings for the second straight year, the Browns will enter the draft armed with two first-round selections (one acquired from Jacksonville). If the Browns aren’t convinced they have the answer in Gabriel, Sanders, or the injured Deshaun Watson when April rolls around, they could use a high pick on a QB.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel In Concussion Protocol
Dillon Gabriel exited the Browns’ Week 11 loss and was evaluated for a concussion, and he’ll now have to overcome league protocol if he hopes to play in Week 12. As expected, the rookie quarterback is in the concussion protocol, coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters today (including Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal).
[RELATED: Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Exits Week 11]
While it’s uncertain when Gabriel suffered his concussion yesterday, the team believes it occurred with about a minute remaining in the first half, when he was tackled by a group of Baltimore defenders. Stefanski revealed that the QB started showing symptoms during halftime, leading to the decision to pull him from the game.
The coach was noncommittal about the team’s QB plans for Week 12, noting that the priority was getting Gabriel healthy and through protocol. However, Stefanski did admit that the team would consider simply benching their starter for Week 12, paving the way for fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders to garner his first NFL start.
“Yeah, we’ll work through that in the next couple days and this week,” Stefanski said (via Easterling). “I’ll update you guys Wednesday as we get into Vegas preparations.”
Stefanski made it clear yesterday that Gabriel would return to the top of the depth chart once he’s healthy enough to play, so Sanders’ stint as QB1 would be short lived. The Colorado product struggled in his NFL debut yesterday, completing only four of his 16 pass attempts for 47 yards and one interception.
With Gabriel in concussion protocol and Joe Flacco now in Cincinnati, the Browns are currently operating with one healthy QB on the active roster. For those wondering, Deshaun Watson won’t be an option for the foreseeable future. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes that while Watson is “coming along well” in his recovery from his ruptured Achilles, he’s still not close to practicing with the Browns. While the veteran is eligible to be designated for return at any time, it seems likely that Watson will be sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 campaign. If Gabriel is forced to miss Week 12, Bailey Zappe would likely serve as Cleveland’s QB2.
Elsewhere on the injury front, Dom Jones is likely heading to injured reserve, according to Easterling. The cornerback suffered a leg injury towards the end of Sunday’s loss. The undrafted rookie has emerged as a key special teamer in Cleveland this season, with the Colorado State product collecting five tackles.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Exits Week 11 Game Due To Possible Concussion; Shedeur Sanders Replaces Gabriel
Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel played the first half of Sunday’s Week 11 matchup against the Ravens, but he was evaluated for a concussion at halftime and subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the contest (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). Shedeur Sanders entered the game in relief of Gabriel and got his first taste of regular season action at the professional level.
Sanders, of course, was one of the most-discussed players in this year’s NFL news cycle. The polarizing prospect was once considered to have first-round upside, but he ultimately dropped to the fifth round of the 2025 draft before the Browns finally put an end to his precipitous slide (two rounds after Cleveland selected Gabriel). Veteran Joe Flacco opened the season as the club’s starting quarterback, but following his demotion in favor of Gabriel, Sanders remained the third-string passer.
Even after the trade that sent Flacco to the Bengals, head coach Kevin Stefanski did not immediately name Sanders as Gabriel’s backup. Practice squadder Bailey Zappe appeared to be in consideration for the role, which led to further questions about Sanders’ progress in practice.
Although Stefanski ultimately did tap Sanders as the Browns’ QB2 behind Gabriel, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier this week that the team did not seem anxious to get the second-generation talent into a game. In the end, Gabriel’s head injury forced Stefanski’s hand.
At the end of September, Albert Breer of SI.com expressed his belief that neither Gabriel nor Sanders could do anything this season to prevent the Browns from selecting a passer in the first round of the 2026 draft. Through the first five starts of his pro career, Gabriel did not do anything to refute that notion, as he led the team to a 1-4 record while posting a poor quarterback rating and QBR of 80.4 and 32.3, respectively.
Breer recently reiterated his opinion that Cleveland’s 2026 starting quarterback is not presently on the roster. Interestingly, however, he said he can envision a scenario in which Deshaun Watson takes the field this season.
Watson, who is recovering from a second Achilles tear, is presently on the Browns’ reserve/PUP list. The latest reporting on the matter suggested the embattled passer is unlikely to play in 2025, but Breer’s note injects a little more intrigue into the situation.
Due to Watson’s albatross contract, the Browns would be hit with a ghastly $131.16MM dead cap charge if they were to cut him in the offseason, which lends credence to Breer’s belief that it can’t hurt to have Cleveland trot him out this year if he is healthy enough to play. On the other hand, that obviously would prevent additional evaluation of Gabriel and/or Sanders.
The Browns went into halftime of the Baltimore contest with a 16-10 lead but lost 23-16. Sanders was unable to engineer any scoring drives, and he completed just four of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception. He added three rushes for 16 yards.
In fairness to Sanders, he had taken no practice reps with the first-team offense, as Stefanski told reporters after the game (via Zac Jackson of The Athletic). Stefanski added Gabriel will return to his QB1 post whenever he clears the concussion protocol.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/25
Here are Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s slate of games:
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: DT Taven Bryan, S Keondre Jackson
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: OLB Boogie Basham, QB Hendon Hooker
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: LB Joe Giles-Harris
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: DT Sam Kamara, QB Bailey Zappe
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Jordan Turner
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: CB Jaylin Smith
- Elevated: WR Jared Wayne
- Waived: TE Brenden Bates
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: CB Cameron Mitchell, DE Durell Nchami
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: TE Hayden Rucci, CB Kendall Sheffield
New England Patriots
- Elevated: S Richie Grant, RB Terrell Jennings
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: LB Eku Leota
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: WR Darius Cooper
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DE Trevis Gipson, OL Nick Zakelj
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: QB Connor Bazelak, OLB Mohamed Kamara
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: WR James Proche
Recently named QB2 Shedeur Sanders found his way to the injury report today with a back injury. By elevating Zappe, Cleveland is ensuring Sanders won’t play tomorrow, since in order to have three quarterbacks dressed for gameday, all three passers must be on the 53-man roster. Zappe will back up Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders will likely be in sweats. Similarly in Carolina, with Bryce Young set to sit this week, Hooker has been called up to back up Andy Dalton.
Both Buccaneers quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Teddy Bridgewater, were on the injury report this week, though neither received a “questionable” injury designation as result of their ailments. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that both passers are expected to be available, but with Bazelak taking up a spot on the active roster, it seems likely that only one other quarterback will be suited up alongside the practice squad callup. Because Bazelak’s not on the 53-man roster, only two passers can be active. Tampa Bay can still designate Bazelak as the inactive third quarterback, but doing so would seemingly be making this elevation moot.
There is no corresponding move necessary for Philadelphia to add Cooper. The team received a two-game roster exemption after signing veteran defensive end Brandon Graham, so they had an open roster spot.
For Basham in Carolina and Jennings in New England, this will be their third and final standard gameday practice squad elevations. If either of their respective teams want them to play in another game this season, they will need to first be signed to the 53-man roster.