Other Teams Skeptical Browns Will Trade Shedeur Sanders

Jason La Canfora notes that in conversations with his league sources, there’s skepticism that the Browns will trade QB Shedeur Sanders even if he loses the starting competition to Deshaun Watson. 

That does continue to feel like a real possibility, per La Canfora, who notes that Watson remains the favorite to start in Week 1 from what he’s hearing. 

A previous report noted the Browns haven’t ruled out trading Sanders if he doesn’t win the starting job. However, La Canfora notes his sources believe Browns HC Todd Monken is a believer in Sanders and will want to keep him around as insurance for Watson, whether it’s for injury or underperformance. 

“Monken likes this kid,” one GM said, via La Canfora. “Why would they trade him now?”

“I don’t think he’s going anywhere,” annother NFL personnel executive added. 

This exec also noted Sanders hasn’t necessarily done a ton to increase his value past the fifth-rounder the Browns invested last year. 

La Canfora notes Browns QB Dillon Gabriel would be far more expendable but the question there becomes whether another team would give anything up to get him out of Cleveland. 

Sanders, 24, was a two-year starter at Jackson State before transferring to Colorado before the 2023 season, following his father and coach, former NFL star Deion Sanders. He started two more years at Colorado before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. 

The Browns traded up to select Sanders with the No. 144 overall pick in the fifth round, and he signed a four-year, $4.647 million rookie contract that included a $447,380 signing bonus. 

In 2025, Sanders appeared in eight games and completed 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown and 169 yards on 21 attempts.

Watson, 30, was taken in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Clemson by the Texans. He signed a four-year, $13.854 million rookie deal with the Texans that included a fifth-year option of around $17.3 million for the 2021 season.

The Texans later signed Watson to a four-year extension worth as much as $177 million heading into the 2020 season, paying him $39 million a year. However, Watson requested a trade after the season, then sat out the entire 2021 season while navigating more than two dozen lawsuits for sexual misconduct. He was later suspended for 11 games. 

Watson was traded to the Browns for significant draft compensation in 2022 and signed a five-year, $230 million, fully guaranteed contract as part of the trade. The deal runs through 2026 and includes base salaries of $46 million in each of the final two seasons. 

In 2024, Watson appeared in seven games for the Browns and completed 63.4 percent of his pass attempts for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. He added 31 carries for 148 yards and another score.

We’ll have more on the Browns’ quarterback situation as the news is available.