Shedeur Sanders has been discussed over his fight to be chosen as the uncontested QB in the notoriously ever-changing Cleveland Browns QB roster. As he faces the threat to be either benched as backup, or worse, traded in his sophomore season, Joe Thomas has rallied behind him. 

“Keep him around, and it’s more likely than not that he’ll have an opportunity to start, and then win that starting job for the long term if you keep him on the roster,” the former offensive lineman said on June 30.

Thomas left the Browns as one of their best offensive tackles. He has the first-hand experience of playing in one of the most volatile NFL offenses. On the Ken Carmen Show with Anthony Lima, he weighed in on Sanders’ journey in the team. He, for one, is strongly against trading him. 

“Shedeur was forced into action in the middle of last year before he was ready. He had some high moments and some low moments, as you’d expect from any quarterback. He’s a development project,” Thomas said. 

In 2025, Sanders first played in Week 10. The Browns had already lost seven games by then. He threw for 1,400 passing yards and scored seven passing touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Deshaun Watson’s return this season after a long absence due an injury has started a fierce battle between the two. 

Sanders’ name has been associated with trade talk for a while now. The 24-year-old has been linked with the Dallas Cowboys, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the New York Jets. The Browns have not made any indication on the matter yet, but Sanders is fighting tooth and nail in the QB 1 race. 

The Browns are taking the QB1 competition between Sanders and Deshaun Watson into training camp. The lack of an answer on the QB1 question and Sanders’ trade has fueled trade talk. Sanders’ longevity on the team remains a highly speculated topic, now more than ever. 

The Browns began this June with a blockbuster trade involving former star defensive end Myles Garrett. Their team this season looks very different, thanks to the significant overhaul. Per senior insider Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns are “not shopping” Sanders. 

Yet, the Dallas Cowboys have emerged as the unlikely, landing spot for Sanders

Jerry Jones’ habit of making big moves across his roster have made highlighted him as a potential suitor for Shedeur Sanders’ trade. So, how well does this pairing hold up?

“What type of offseason would it be if Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys weren’t linked to a polarizing, big-name player like Sanders?” Pro Football Network asked. “...Jones could acquire Sanders for relatively cheap and give him the opportunity to develop behind Dak Prescott as the team’s long-term backup.” 

Dak Prescott has missed 45 games because of injuries since 2020. While Joe Milton III and Sam Howell are caught up in a battle of their own to back Prescott, Sanders could be the more reliable option. 

What are your thoughts on the matter? Tell us in the comments. 

Read more at the Cleveland Browns Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar