Shedeur Sanders has been gaining the faith and support of loyal Cleveland Browns fans all season long, and he won over even more supporters on Sunday during his performance against the Tennessee Titans. The Browns may have lost, but Sanders was shining brightly and had his best showing yet.
As great as it was, it raised some uneasy questions for the Browns and their future. Speaking on ESPN Cleveland, Tony Rizzo talked about next season and pitched the idea of Sanders being Cleveland’s starting quarterback, while the returning Deshaun Watson was QB2 behind him.
“You wouldn’t take a Watson-Sanders quarterback [duo] with Shedeur starting and Deshaun as his veteran backup? I would. You can’t [cut him]. He’s gotta be on the roster,” Rizzo said.
Would you take this QB room next year for the Browns:
QB1 – Shedeur Sanders
QB2 – Deshaun Watson pic.twitter.com/QBxgSh9oQz— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) December 8, 2025
Sanders’ game on Sunday was the definition of a young rookie with something to prove. Yes, the Browns were playing against a weak team, but that does not take away from Sanders’ performance.
The Browns owe Watson an immense amount of money, and he’s basically unmovable, so they cannot part ways with him. And Sanders is obviously coming into his own, so they don’t want to cut him loose either.
This solution would make sense for many people, although it would likely spell the end for rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Additionally, it would free up the Browns to shift their focus in the next draft, not looking for quarterbacks but instead other young players who could improve the offensive line.
This proposal from Rizzo wouldn’t make everyone happy, but it is a concept that will probably get a lot more discussion in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
NEXT:
Alex Wright Reveals How Players Feel About Shedeur Sanders