Shedeur Sanders Faces Challenges as Browns Quarterback

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders experienced moments of promising play when he had the opportunity to start during his rookie season in 2025. However, league executives and coaches seem unconvinced as The Athletic’s 2026 NFL quarterback tiers list ranked him last among 35 quarterbacks.

“I’d sleep like a baby if I got to play him every week,” an unnamed defensive coordinator commented.

Shedeur Sanders struggled with accuracy issues across various play levels. An executive remarked on the significant gap between Sanders and competent quarterback performance. In terms of tier voting, Sanders received one Tier 3 vote, 37 Tier 4 votes, and 12 Tier 5 votes from the 50 surveyed executives and coaches.

“He’s not an on-time player, can’t really read through the coverages, is a little bit heavy-footed,” another coordinator noted, “He is thicker and harder to tackle than expected, but you shouldn’t lose to him.”

Currently, Sanders is in a quarterback competition at the Browns’ training camp with Deshaun Watson fully healthy and contending for the starting position. This aligns with new head coach Todd Monken’s commitment to keeping the QB competition open amid inconsistent practice performance.

During the 2025 season, Sanders, after winning his debut game against the Las Vegas Raiders, was named the starter for the Browns’ remaining six games. He managed 1,400 yards passing and seven touchdowns but threw 10 interceptions. The Browns were also concerned about his completion rate, which was just 56.6%.

There is anticipation about Monken’s role in Sanders’ development due to his offensive expertise. A voter expressed optimism:

“Todd Monken is a great reset in the same way Ben Johnson was in Chicago. If Shedeur commits himself to studying, understanding the playbook, and efficiently managing the huddle, there might be improvement,” the voter said.

Monken is yet to announce his top choice for the quarterback position. Throughout the offseason, Monken has emphasized the competitive nature of the Browns camp. Sanders, alongside Watson and Dillon Gabriel, competes intensely for the starter role.

Deshaun Watson also appears on the quarterbacks list, ranked 31st out of 35. He missed the previous season while recovering from an Achilles injury sustained in 2024.

The Browns’ first taste of competitive action will be on August 15 against the Bears in their preseason opener.