Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been hit with a stern warning heading into the NFL offseason.
Shedeur Sanders is currently the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback, but that is certainly not set in stone.
The Browns are expected to pursue other options under center this offseason and will likely be exploring all avenues in doing so, which absolutely puts Sanders' standing as the starter at risk heading into 2026.
In fact, Bleacher Report's Alex Kay has listed Sanders among the top five starting signal-callers most at risk of losing their jobs.
"As things stand, Sanders will be competing with fellow incumbents [Dillon] Gabriel and Deshaun Watson (who appears to be in the team's plans again based on Monken's recent comments) for the starting role," Kay wrote. "The battle would get even more interesting if Cleveland snags a signal-caller off the open market or utilizes one of its nine draft picks to add a rookie into the mix."
The chances of Gabriel supplanting Sanders as the starter seem pretty slim, and for as much as the Browns want to say Watson will have a chance, Sanders' top competition will most likely come from the outside.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images.There are numerous veteran quarterbacks available this spring, and Cleveland also owns a pair of first-round draft picks. The Browns could even take a quarterback on Day 2 next month.
Sanders may have been named a Pro Bowl alternate, but he did not play nearly well enough to lock up the starting job for 2026.
The 24-year-old made eight appearances and seven starts during his rookie campaign, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 56.6 percent of his passes and posting a 68.1 passer rating.
To be fair, Sanders didn't exactly have much help. Cleveland's receiving corps left a whole lot to be desired, and its offensive line was a complete mess.
Regardless, Sanders didn't do enough to make new head coach Todd Monken confident in his ability to become the sure-fire starter next season.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the Browns choose to handle their quarterback situation and whether or not they actually pull the trigger on Ty Simpson in the first round of the NFL Draft.
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