ESPN insiders urge Browns to make rest-of-season Shedeur Sanders decision

Matt Sullivan

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ESPN insiders urge Browns to make rest-of-season Shedeur Sanders decision image

The Cleveland Browns have seen three quarterbacks take significant snaps this season, with Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and now Shedeur Sanders all getting their turn with the starting offense.

While Cleveland has been linked to quarterbacks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, the production of Gabriel and Sanders this season is still very important. After Gabriel got the bulk of the starts earlier in the year, it is now Sander's turn.

ESPN insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano shared their opinions of the Browns' QB room, laid out the case, and urged the Browns to continue starting Sanders for the rest of the 2025 season.

ESPN insiders urge Browns to start Shedeur Sanders for rest of 2025 season

"I see no reason why the Browns shouldn't continue starting him," Graziano writes, "because the point of the rest of their season seems to be finding out what they have at quarterback so they know how to approach the offseason."

Cleveland could make a quarterback switch back to Gabriel and try to win more games by playing things safe, but there's little incentive to do so for the Browns.

Gabriel is what he is, and Sanders has yet to show what he's fully capable of for the Browns. While he's a fifth-round pick, there's enough promise to stick with Sanders for the rest of the season.

"The Browns must find out whether their 2026 starting quarterback is on the current roster." Fowler writes. "The body of work through 12 games suggests it's probably not, but Sanders has a decent runway to give the team something to consider. And my sense is he'll get the rest of the season to do just that."

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Fowler's comments indicate that the Browns are going to stick with Sanders for the final five weeks of the NFL season. While the 3-9 Browns aren't playing for much, Sanders and Gabriel would have a lot to play for.

Cleveland already got six starts out of Gabriel, and if Sanders were to start the rest of the year, he'd get seven total starts.

The Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals are a good mix of matchups to see what Sanders can do, and it looks like he'll get such a runway the rest of the year.

"The Browns would be fools not to explore every possible solution," Graziano writes, "and I think that's what they're doing."

Cleveland is expected to stick with Sanders as the rest of the season starter, as his play is the only unknown left for the Browns in their quarterback room. Gabriel has made enough starts to gleam his potential, while Sanders has a chance to prove he's more than a fifth-round quarterback.

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