Shedeur Sanders’ capabilities as a starter have been widely contested from day one. He might’ve ended the season as the Cleveland Browns’ lead passer, but his critics, including Browns analyst Dan Labbe, believe he has to earn the starting quarterback position. 

“Sanders didn’t do anything over the final seven games of last season to simply be handed the job,” Labbe wrote for Cleveland.com. 

Comparing Sanders to his 2025 contemporaries would be unfair considering he started in just seven games and played in Week 10 in a limited capacity. However, viewers did not see a promising star in need of a chance to play from Week 1. 

Instead, they saw an unreliable quarterback who had more misses than hits. 

“He has to protect the football. He has to prove he can consistently deliver it on time and where it’s supposed to go,” Labbe wrote on July 28. 

Sanders took his first snap in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens after starter Dillon Gabriel sustained a season-ending concussion. The 24-year-old finally had the chance at delivering a stunning rookie performance and shutting the negative chatter around him. 

He, however, managed just 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns and ten interceptions. The former Colorado Buffaloes star holds an ESPN quarterback rating of 18.9. 

Since his debut, the Browns have won just three games, and none against a fearsome team that could give them a tough fight. Sanders and Co.’s first victory post-Week 10 was against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Raiders, who ended the season with a 3-14 record, lost the Week 11 game 24-10. Sanders’ next win was against the Pittsburgh Steelers 13-6, and then against the Cincinnati Bengals when former defensive end Myles Garrett set his sack record. 

Sanders’ only standout performance in Week 14 was against the Tennessee Titans. He scored three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.

His performance wasn’t necessarily a reassuring one, and Deshaun Watson’s return has further jeopardized his QB1 campaign. 

Watson recently has made a statement that is ringing alarm bells for him. 

“This is the year”: Deshaun Watson complicates Sanders' path ahead of the training camp

The Cleveland Browns traded for Deshaun Watson in 2022. They signed him for five years with a contract worth $230 million. In the past four seasons, he has played in 19 games.

Franchise owner Jimmy Haslam called him a “swing and a miss” in April 2025 after he missed the season entirely due to an Achilles injury. 

Watson, however, is determined to leave a mark this season and made a statement on July 28. 

“This is year five man, so this is that time you know what I’m saying, s***,” Watson said in an Instagram reel. “Just like everybody else, I’ve been waiting too. Things gotta line up right, you know, and I feel like this is the year that it can all come together.”

While analysts show little confidence in Sanders and Watson planning a comeback, Sanders is left with the upcoming training camp to prove his worth. 

Read more at the Cleveland Browns Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar