Shedeur Sanders slid down the draft board in 2025, allowing the Cleveland Browns to move up to draft him in the fifth round. The Browns were desperate for a quarterback, and Sanders’ fall was a fortuitous situation that gave them an outside shot at solving their problems.
Sanders started his rookie season on the bench behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel, but former head coach Kevin Stefanski gave him his opportunity toward the end of the 2025 NFL campaign. Sanders had his fair share of highs and lows as the starting quarterback, though some of his struggles could be tied to the offensive line, as he was constantly under duress.
While Sanders has the mobility to create out of the pocket and extend plays, he would have likely fared better with more protection up front. The Browns knew they would need to rebuild the offensive line this offseason, and so far they’ve done just that.
In the first official days of free agency, Cleveland signed Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins. They also re-signed Teven Jenkins and traded for Tytus Howard, reshaping the offensive line room instantly.
The Browns shouldn’t be done as they also have several picks at their disposal in the 2026 NFL Draft, highlighted by a pair of first-round picks.
With the offensive line looking better on paper, Sanders should be considered one of the winners of the offseason so far, according to Nate Davis of USA Today.
“But Sanders might be the big winner here as the Cleveland Browns did precisely what first-year coach Todd Monken wanted − pouring into their offensive line. G Teven Jenkins re-signed, OL Tytus Howard arrived via trade and Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins are both on the way to further fortify the interior. And more offensive upgrades are likely coming in the draft, were GM Andrew Berry owns a pair of first-round picks, including Jacksonville’s. It should mean a magnificent opportunity for Sanders to assert himself as QB1 in 2026,” Davis wrote.
As Davis noted, Sanders should have more time to operate behind the line of scrimmage, which in turn should result in more consistent passing plays.
Head coach Todd Monken should be able to make things simpler for the young quarterback with his system, but the most important thing is keeping Sanders upright in his second year in the NFL.
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Longtime Browns Veteran Connected To Big AFC Move