Shedeur Sanders’ career progression took a hit after the Cleveland Browns head coach, Todd Monken, named Deshaun Watson as their Week 1 starter. As a result, Sanders’ playing time is uncertain, especially if Watson can return to his Pro Bowl form.
But a Cleveland sports radio personality went further by predicting a more concerning fate for the second-year quarterback from Colorado.
Analyst Sees Shedeur Sanders Falling to QB3
During the September 2 episode of “The Tony Rizzo Show,” the discussion focused on who will be Watson’s backup during the Browns’ season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Co-host Zach Frydenlund, popularly known as Football Chopz or PChopz, predicted that Sanders would fall out of the active roster.
“You guys were talking about Week 1. I have a bold Week 1 take,” he said. “Taylen Green QB2, Shedeur Sanders will be inactive, emergency QB Week 1.”
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Rizzo was surprised by this take and asked, “Why would you do that to me?”
Frydenlund responded, “Because (Todd) Monken has been talking up Taylen Green, and he hasn’t ruled out that he’s going to have a package on game day in Week 1.”
.@Pchopz_‘s Browns week 1 hot take:
Taylen Green will be QB2. Shedeur Sanders will be inactive and the emergency QB3 😯. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/sWdwFmsjeC — ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 2, 2026
If Frydenlund’s prediction becomes real, Sanders can suit up for games, but it’s uncertain if he will play at all. Emergency quarterbacks are listed as inactive on the Gameday Administration Report that teams submit before the game. While they are part of the 53-player roster, they are not on the 48-player active list.
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Should Sanders fill this role, he can only enter the game if the two quarterbacks before him on the depth chart cannot continue to play due to injuries or disqualification. He cannot enter the match to replace a struggling quarterback. Likewise, an emergency QB exits the game if either of the two previous quarterbacks is medically cleared to continue playing.
Being inactive would make it tougher for Sanders to showcase his talent. Without taking some snaps, he couldn’t reclaim the Browns’ starting quarterback job or audition for another team that might offer him a chance.
Is Sanders Losing an Active Roster Spot to a Rookie?
Remember that Sanders became Cleveland’s starter after Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion. Even then, his numbers were not impressive. In eight games, he completed only 56.6% of his passes and threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (7).
These numbers had Sanders 37th in the PFN Quarterback Impact Rankings, earning him a grade of 63. Despite his pedestrian stats, he became a Pro Bowler, but only after better options had declined.
Conversely, Green is an intriguing option because of his versatility. In his final season at Arkansas, he finished with 2,714 passing yards, 777 rushing yards, and 27 total touchdowns. If he can translate his game to the NFL, the Browns will have a reliable and promising backup to Watson.
