How a Shedeur Sanders trade before the deadline could cause chaos in Browns’ quarterback room
Cleveland may listen to offers, but Sanders’ market value and Watson’s strong start make a deal far from certain
The Cleveland Browns finally have momentum at quarterback, but that has created a different problem for Shedeur Sanders .
Deshaun Watson has led Cleveland to three straight victories after a Week 1 loss, taking the Browns to 3-1 while completing 69.6% of his passes for 855 yards, six touchdowns and only two interceptions.
That form has quieted much of the uncertainty around the starting job and pushed Sanders into a much murkier position.
Sanders , selected 144th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, started seven games as a rookie and finished with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
He completed 56.6% of his throws before losing the offseason competition to Watson . With several teams now dealing with quarterback injuries, his name has surfaced as a possible trade candidate.
“Shedeur Sanders could be interesting to teams looking for a developmental QB who needs a change of scenery,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported.
Sanders’ trade value is complicated
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has also indicated that Cleveland could be open to moving either Sanders or Dillon Gabriel , saying the Browns would “probably welcome a deal at the right price.” The challenge is finding that price.
Sanders has only seven NFL starts and was a fifth-round pick. The recent market for young quarterbacks hasn't exactly been aggressive, with Minnesota receiving only a fifth-rounder in a deal involving former top-10 selection J.J. McCarthy .
That makes a major return difficult to envision unless another team becomes desperate. Miami, Tampa Bay and Arizona have all been mentioned as potential fits because of instability or injuries at quarterback.
Sanders may be stuck in Cleveland
Watson ’s performance is what changes everything. The Browns gave up three first-round picks and additional draft capital to acquire him from Houston , then signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.
His first four years in Cleveland were defined by inconsistency and limited availability, but the early part of 2026 has looked very different. Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam admitted last year that the original move had not worked out as planned.
“We took a big swing-and-miss with Deshaun… We thought we had the quarterback; we didn’t… so we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole,” Haslam said.
If Watson keeps winning, Sanders has little path to playing time. At the same time, Cleveland has reason to keep him. Sanders is still viewed as the clear No.2 option, and Watson’s injury history makes quarterback depth valuable.
That leaves Sanders in an awkward position. The Browns may be willing to trade him, but they don't have to. And unless another team is prepared to pay enough to make Cleveland reconsider its depth chart, he could remain exactly where he is.
