The Cleveland Browns are having another forgettable season; however, they may have discovered stability at quarterback for the first time in years. In recent weeks, the Browns have turned the offense over to Shedeur Sanders, who is coming off his best performance of the season. On Sunday, Sanders passed for 364 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. He also contributed 29 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
It was the first four-touchdown game of his career and the best performance the Browns have had from a quarterback this season. Unfortunately, some of the players around Sanders have gotten banged up, which could affect his ability to perform moving forward.
Browns Place Two Players on Injured Reserve
According to Adam Schefter, the Browns made two roster moves on Tuesday, placing center Ethan Pocic and running back Jerome Ford on injured reserve.
Pocic is the more significant loss as he is the starting center, and the team loses needed stability on the offensive line. As for Ford, he was a backup running back who only got a handful of snaps in each game.
Browns placed C Ethan Pocic and RB Jerome Ford on injured reserve.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 9, 2025
Sanders will now have to get comfortable with a new center, as backup Luke Wypler will take over for Pocic. The quarterback/center exchange is often overlooked but very important. It will be interesting to see how Sanders and Wypler operate the exchange and whether the offensive line can hold up without one of its leaders.
Another player who is banged up on offense is tight end David Njoku. He suffered a knee injury on Sunday, and it would not be a surprise to see him miss some time. All rookie quarterbacks rely on a tight end as their security blanket, and now Sanders will have to rely on fellow rookie Harold Fannin as TE1. Luckily, Fannin has been a star in his rookie season, with a TE Impact Score of 78.9, ranking 14th in the NFL according to PFSN metrics.
Browns Hoping to Develop Sanders in Lost Season
The Browns will not make the playoffs this season. However, that does not mean they cannot finish on a positive note. If they continue to develop Sanders and gain confidence in him as their quarterback for 2026, that would be an ideal outcome.
Sanders’ story is well known, having fallen to the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Yet if he continues to perform as he did this past weekend, he offers Cleveland genuine promise for the future. Sanders is a player many fans want to watch — whether in support or skepticism — and that alone ensures the Browns will remain intriguing.
