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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Shedeur Sanders’ rookie season with the Cleveland Browns was anything but smooth.
Thrust into action late after opening the year buried on the depth chart, the former fifth-round pick started seven games, throwing for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions while posting a 3–4 record.
There were flashes, like a 300-yard outing against Tennessee and a composed first career win over the Raiders, but also the expected growing pains of a young NFL quarterback operating in a struggling offense.
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By the time the offseason arrived, league perception had settled in the middle: Sanders wasn’t ready, but he wasn’t a lost cause either.
Now, that projection is being tested.
Speaking on 92.3 The Fan, longtime Associated Press reporter Tom Withers offered a decisive take on Sanders’ future as Cleveland’s starter.
“I know people keep talking about this competition in the spring or what have you. Unless something very dramatic happens, I think Shedeur Sanders is going to be your starter on opening day,” Withers said. “I think five games in, you're going to know whether or not this guy is going to be your franchise quarterback going forward.”
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Despite the confidence in Sanders, the Browns’ quarterback room remains both crowded and unsettled.
Veteran Deshaun Watson is still under contract and working his way back from a torn Achilles that wiped out his 2025 season, leaving his availability, and role, very much in question.
Then there’s Dillon Gabriel, the Browns’ other rookie from 2025. Gabriel started multiple games early in the year and is still viewed internally as a legitimate competitor for the job heading into 2026.
Beyond the current roster, league chatter suggests Cleveland could explore adding another quarterback via the draft or trade, with names like Carson Beck and Ty Simpson loosely connected to the organization through coaching ties.
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Withers’ prediction places Sanders squarely in the spotlight heading into training camp.
If Sanders performs, Cleveland stabilizes the most important position in sports.
If he struggles, the Browns could pivot fast, whether to Watson, Gabriel, or an external option
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