Shedeur Sanders certainly did not have the ideal seven-game start to his NFL career. But 3-4 ain’t bad.
And while Sanders needs to develop, he showed a lot of promise. He definitely gave the Cleveland Browns’ brass—as well as whoever takes on the mantle as the new head coach—something to think about during this crucial offseason.
This will be yet another turning point for the Browns. But they can buck their own trends by hiring the right head coach and tying that in with an investment and belief in Sanders as the face of the franchise.
It was all too clear that Kevin Stefanski and Shedeur Sanders did not get along very well. The rumor is that Dillon Gabriel was the HC’s choice anyway.
So now that he’s gone, the Browns can get a coach in who really believes in Sanders and wants to tailor a potent offense to his strengths. Someone younger like Kliff Kingsbury or Klint Kubiak who can really cook up a scheme would likely mesh well with Sanders (or any QB).
Sanders has been polarizing all year, but we believe the pros of going all in on the confident youngster far outweigh the cons. It’s a risk, yes. But one worth taking—if the new Cleveland regime makes the right moves to support their developing young signal caller.
Shedeur Sanders had flashes in his first seven starts
He threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (7), but Shedeur Sanders did well considering his situation. He hadn’t played with the first-teamers all year (a gripe that many like to poke fun at despite it’s legitimacy), not to mention a lack of receiver options and a sorry offensive line.
Despite that, Sanders stood in there to complete some really impressive throws down the field. He has shown poise and he surely has the character to deal with the NFL spotlight. He’s also much more athletic than scouts gave him credit for coming out of college.
Browns can build new offense around him with top pick
The Cleveland Browns have two major problem areas: offensive line and wide receiver. They should be able to make a big dent in the WR problem by using the No. 6 overall pick on Carnell Tate or Jordyn Tyson.
They could then use their other draft capital (including another first-rounder) to bolster the offensive line. While they don’t have much cap space right now, they could also aggressively pursue more OL reinforcements in free agency.
Browns could be in win-now mode at the perfect time
If Cleveland can make those moves, they would instantly be in win-now mode with a championship-caliber defense already built in. And they couldn’t have chosen a better time.
In the division, the Steelers are still floundering without a real QB answer, the Bengals have Joe Burrow “fun” issues, and the Ravens just fired their head coach too. Across the league, it has not been more wide open in decades.
Shedeur Sanders brings star power
Lastly—and probably least importantly, though we still thought worth mentioning—is that Shedeur Sanders gives the Browns a bonafide star the likes of which they haven’t seen in a generation.
Myles Garrett is a star, but he’s a defensive end. Defensive players just don’t sell merchandise like quarterbacks do. And Sanders sells merchandise like no other. Though a fifth-round pick, his jersey was one of the highest-selling after the 2026 NFL Draft.
Having a signature player is a way to turn your franchise from a lovable loser to a serious contender.
We’re not saying Sanders is nearly this caliber of player yet, but just look at what Josh Allen did for Buffalo and the Bills in changing the perception of that previously sorry franchise. It can be done.