It might seem bizarre upon reflection, but one of the biggest storylines of the 2025 NFL season was the curious case of Shedeur Sanders. With a ton of hype coming into the draft, his fall to the fifth round was shocking to say the least. His fandom still persevered, calling on the Cleveland Browns to make him their starting quarterback.
Cleveland Browns Sticking With Shedeur Sanders
Ultimately, they were rewarded for their patience, and after checking into the game in the second half against the Baltimore Ravens, thanks to an injury to Dillon Gabriel, Sanders was given the starting job for the final seven games of the season. The tape left a lot to be desired, but one analyst still believes he might be the best possible choice for his franchise.
Aside from Myles Garrett breaking the single-season sack record, this wasn’t a memorable year for the Browns as a whole. And, almost all of their problems boiled down to an offense that couldn’t get the job done.
Despite Joe Flacco, Gabriel, and Sanders all trying their hand under center, the output was woeful at best. As a result, the quarterback position remains in doubt for Cleveland moving into next season, especially with a draft class that isn’t rife with A-level talent.
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For Colin Cowherd of FS1, though, that means taking another crack with Sanders manning the quarterback position. As he tried to play matchmaker for teams and QBs, his explanation for the Browns was relatively simple.
“I would keep Shedeur Sanders. Why not? They’re still stuck with Deshaun Watson’s contract.” But, as for the real meat of the matter, it wasn’t the tape he put on display that drew Cowherd to this conclusion.
“I think he’s entertaining, merch sales, and interest. I like watching him play. I’d give him another year. You’re not a title team anyway.” For all intents and purposes, that meant giving up on the 2026 season as well, while maintaining interest from the football world at large.
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Throwing for just 1,400 yards and 7 touchdowns, the 10 interceptions were hard to stomach for a quarterback who ranked ahead of only Cincinnati Bengals backup Jake Browning and fellow locker room member Gabriel on PFSN’s QB Impact metric.
As a result, the decision remains in flux and would be a hard one for the fan base to sink their teeth into. But as Cowherd sees it, there isn’t really an alternative that is better suited for the franchise.
