Shedeur Sanders makes a move amid trade rumors: hires an agent for the first time

Shedeur Sanders has made an important decision about his NFL career. The Cleveland Browns quarterback has hired an agent for the first time, at a moment when his name is being linked to rumors about a possible trade.

The news was first reported by Adam Schefter. Sanders will be represented by Adie von Gontard, CEO of Young Money APAA Sports, after having gone without an agent for both the 2025 Draft and the negotiation of his rookie contract. The agency also represents Travis Hunter, his former teammate at Colorado.

Is Shedeur Sanders' decision foreshadowing a trade?

The timing of the decision is striking. Sanders lost the battle for the starting job to Deshaun Watson during the preseason and has barely seen action in the first five weeks. Cleveland enters Week 6 with a 3-2 record, and Watson remains the starting quarterback.

Sanders' numbers reflect that lack of opportunities. The quarterback has only appeared in one game this season and has one completed pass on one attempt for zero yards, in the Week 3 win over Carolina.

That situation has fueled questions about his future. Hiring an agent has also drawn comparisons to the case of Marvin Harrison Jr., who went from representing himself to having agents before being traded from Arizona to Houston.

However, it is one thing for the move to potentially facilitate an eventual negotiation and quite another for Sanders to have asked to leave Cleveland. There is no confirmation that he has requested a trade, and the Browns have not publicly shown any interest in parting ways with him. Recent reports actually indicate that the franchise wants to continue developing him as Watson's backup.

The truth is that Sanders will now have a representative in charge of handling any issue related to his contract or a possible change of team.

Sanders arrived in Cleveland in the fifth round

The quarterback was one of the biggest stories of the 2025 Draft. After waiting through the early rounds, the Browns selected him with the 144th pick, in the fifth round. He later signed a four-year, $4.647 million contract.

In his rookie season, he had much more involvement than he is having now. Sanders played in eight games, seven as a starter, and completed 120 of 212 passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also added 169 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.

This season, however, his role has been reduced to Watson's backup. The decision to hire an agent comes as the stretch of the season approaches in which talks about possible moves can begin to gain traction.

The NFL trade deadline ends on November 10, so there is still time for new reports to emerge. For now, the only thing that can be said with certainty is that Sanders will no longer face alone the decisions that could shape his professional future.