The Cleveland Browns, since they let Baker Mayfield go, have struggled to find a new franchise quarterback. Deshaun Watson has been a major miss, and the other quarterbacks they've brought in over the last few years haven't been great.
Even in the 2025 NFL Draft, Dillon Gabriel was fine, but didn't show much upside as a franchise quarterback in his limited action this season. Shedeur Sanders, while there are still some blemishes, has been a bit more intriguing.
It's still far too early to deem Sanders the future of the QB position in Cleveland, but as TMZ.com shared, Browns legend Joe Thomas had some glowing remarks for Sanders, giving the former Colorado QB the biggest stamp of approval yet.
Browns legend Joe Thomas gives Shedeur Sanders a stamp of approval, with one caveat
"He's had some really greats, and some not so greats. And I think he's given us a little bit of hope," Thomas said. "If Shedeur can continue to improve, plays pretty well, and improves these last three games... I think he has a chance to make a name for himself and declare himself as the franchise quarterback.
Thomas, by showing his openness to Sanders being the franchise quarterback, is giving his stamp of approval to the rookie Colorado quarterback.
While he does emphasize that a strong finish to the year is the prerequisite to earning that franchise QB distinction, by not shutting down the idea, he's showing belief in Sanders as a potential solution.
Thomas isn't leaving that same door open for Gabriel, showing that he has more faith in Sanders becoming the future of the franchise than in Gabriel.
More: Browns' Shedeur Sanders is under pressure more than any QB since 2009
Sanders has shown some promise to begin his NFL career, but there are still areas of his game that need some work. He is still taking too many sacks for big losses, has been a bit too turnover-prone, and has some general issues to fix.
But the ceiling is very high with his tools. Sanders has a great arm, and with a better wide receiver core and offensive line, things could potentially look drastically different.
Through five games (four starts), Sanders has 946 passing yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions. As Thomas referenced, it's not perfect, but there's hope in Sanders' play this season.
There's potential with Sanders. Thomas wants the Browns to give Sanders a chance to prove himself, and he's hopeful that the rookie will continue to improve over the final three weeks and cement himself as a potential franchise quarterback option in 2026 and beyond.
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