Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is a topic of discussion again. Which might seem odd to anyone following the Cleveland media. There are two factors that could be driving this, but neither should be the reason Sanders seems to be trending in Cleveland circles.
The first is Sanders' recent decision to hire an agent. The second is the Browns' upcoming game against the Ravens without Lamar Jackson. The need or desire for Sanders to start should in no way be affected by him signing with an agent or not.
The Ravens game could be a concern. It’s the first time head coach Todd Monken will pace his former team since becoming a head coach. Baltimore is one of two teams Browns fans and players will never accept losing to.
The Browns recently lost to the Jets, a game almost no one picked Cleveland to lose. Two weeks ago, Cleveland and the national media were riding high on what looked like a ‘good’ Browns team. Maybe Monken cracked the code on Deshaun Watson. One bad loss later and many are convinced the sky is already falling.
Cleveland Media's Shedeur timeline
The celebrations of Shedeur Sanders winning more games in 2025 than any other Browns quarterback were short-lived. Cleveland has made preparation for the NFL Draft into a second season. What happened was a rehash of the “Anyone but Shedeur” narrative.
During the draft process there were conversations around moving up to get Fernando Mendoza. Could they possibly trade up from No. 24 to get Ty Simpson? Carson Beck on day two. Drew Allar as he grew up a Cleveland kid.
During the free agency period, there were constant talking points around quarterbacks to add. Sam Darnold before his big Seattle contract. Bring Justin Fields in on a flyer. Daniel Jones was floated. Even kicking the tires on Russell Wilson wasn’t discounted.
As the Browns began voluntary and mandatory OTAs, several Browns media were still looking for other quarterbacks to add to the room. With none of those names being players who would have been significant upgrades over the existing room.
Between stat trackers and practice footage, it became more likely that Sanders had a real shot at winning the competition. As that became more plausible, those who kept looking for other options started to warm to the idea that Sanders could start the season.
After the last preseason game, Watson decided to blame the Cleveland fans for how he'd be treated. Calling it personal and not about football. When the reality is, they cheered on the injury because that meant he couldn’t physically keep playing poorly. Their disdain for Watson was completely about a fully guaranteed contract and arguably the worst quarterback results over the last four years.
The first five games of 2026
The Browns did the one thing most people thought they could not afford to do. Start Watson. After week one, many media and fans were already calling for Watson’s benching. Then the Browns would win three straight over the win less Bucs, the one-win Panthers and a two-win Steelers team that might be the worst in decades.
After four games, the Browns were owners of a 3-1 record. The last time they started 3-1 was the 2020-21 season, which included Baker Mayfield beating Pittsburgh to make the playoffs, then beating them again the next week in Pittsburgh. Which was the high point for Browns fans since the team returned in 1999.
In week 5, the Browns lost to the then, one-win Jets. Of all the teams on the schedule, the Jets were the closest thing to a circled win on the calendar. Watson was 15-of-33 for 155 yards, a touchdown and a QBR of only 24. As of October 16, many have begun to shift to claiming it's time to see Sanders.
The co-founder of the Young Money agency shot down the trade narrative. Lil Wayne appeared on a podcast segment with Skip Bayless and Aqib Talib. Bayless asked if Weezy wanted to see Shedeur play elsewhere. “Oh no, I just want to see Shedeur be Shedeur,” Wayne said almost emphatically. “I need him to get his opportunity, and I think where he’s at, he’s going to get that opportunity.”
Lil Wayne and the Young Money sports agency are not the only people saying that. ‘Boog’, who has been with Shedeur since his time at Colorado, also recently confirmed the same notion. “I’m focused on playing,” Boog claimed Shedeur said in a text message. “I’m going to play, and when I do play, I want to focus on playing football.” Boog also claimed this was a move to “button up his business” and not a move to force a trade.
The Shedeur trade rumors have always been illogical. He is at worst the second-best quarterback in the Browns QB room. He’s on a ridiculously team-friendly deal due to sliding to the 144th pick. He is wildly popular among fans. He has already outdone arguably every new quarterback Cleveland has brought in over 20 years, from work in the community. There is no reason to trade him. Except to satisfy fans of other teams.
Cleveland is trying to win games and believes Watson helps them do that, to the surprise of many. Watson needed to have an MVP caliber season to suggest a contract extension. If Cleveland even wins three more games, all the Arch Manning and Dante Moore talk calms down.
The Cleveland media was always going to be the last to move off the Watson hype train. However, when those voices start calling for Sanders to start, it might be time to accept a move could be coming sooner rather than later. If Watson struggles against a Ravens team without Lamar Jackson, the media calling for Sanders could get very loud very fast.