The Cleveland Browns find themselves at a fascinating strategic crossroads during the 2026 NFL offseason as trade speculation intensifies around second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Selected with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders stepped into the lineup to start seven games during his rookie campaign. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and ten interceptions, earning a surprising Pro Bowl selection as a replacement.
Under new head coach Todd Monken, the Browns have initiated an open quarterback competition between Sanders and high-priced veteran Deshaun Watson. However, recent reports indicate that other franchises are actively calling to gauge Sanders’ availability.
Emmanuel Acho Urges Browns to Execute Shedeur Sanders Trade
Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho recently weighed in on the situation on “Speakeasy,” urging the Browns to capitalize on the soaring market value of their young quarterback.
Acho strongly believes the front office should view this dilemma through a pragmatic asset-management lens, especially given how low Sanders was originally drafted compared to his current national profile and trade leverage.
“If you can find a willing buyer for Shedeur Sanders, you know what it is. You buy low, you sell high,” Acho said. “If you got Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, you can probably acquire more than a fifth-round pick for him.”
The financial reality of Cleveland’s roster further complicates the pairing under center. Watson is currently attached to a massive, fully guaranteed contract, making him virtually untradeable.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Forcing both players to share a depth chart while competing for the same role creates a redundant situation that benefits neither the athletes nor the organization over two campaigns.
“You don’t need to keep Shedeur and Deshaun Watson on the same depth chart for two years,” Acho said. “What the hell is the point? You also don’t need Shedeur Sanders to be a backup. Shedeur has, in my mind, too much of a cultural gravitational pull to be a backup.”
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
The unique media spotlight surrounding Sanders, who ranked as the third-worst quarterback in the league last season according to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, ensures that any prolonged quarterback controversy would completely dominate national headlines.
If Watson struggles on the field, the external pressure to bench the veteran would become immediate and overwhelming. Acho argues that this distinct star power makes a standard backup role entirely untenable for the young signal-caller.
“Shedeur needs to be a starter, but he does not need to be your backup,” Acho added. “Let him be somebody else’s backup. Let’s let somebody else deal with that. So, if Shedeur is not going to be a starter in Cleveland, let him go be somebody else’s backup.”
As training camp approaches this July, Monken must decide whether to ride out the potential internal tension of an open competition or maximize their draft capital via a trade before the 2026 season kicks off. Restless rival franchises remain highly attentive to how Cleveland navigates this complicated position room as public pressure builds.
