Tony Grossi has done a complete 180 on Shedeur Sanders. This love-hate relationship needs to be studied. Just 24 hours after floating the idea of Cleveland eventually pivoting toward Arch Manning, the longtime Browns insider came back with a very different take.
Tony Grossi Seems Convinced With Shedeur Sanders All of a Sudden
During the March 24 session on ESPN Cleveland, Grossi said this on air: “I’ve turned the corner on Shedeur Sanders. I think he deserves every chance to be the guy.”
Grossi’s stance now aligns more with what the Browns seem to be setting up internally: a real, extended look at Sanders. Even with Deshaun Watson expected to return from his Achilles injury, this isn’t a closed competition.
So, during the discussion that aired on March 23, Grossi did say that Sanders is going to get his reps.
“I think even if (Deshaun) Watson wins the job,” Grossi said, “I think Sanders will get enough games, added to last year’s seven starts… minimum of seven this year, they’ll be able to make an evaluation.”
But in the same vein, he did admit that for the evaluation to tip in Sanders’ favor, the young quarterback must look for inspiration elsewhere in the league. Drake Maye… If the Browns no. 12 can start showing the Maye-esque winning mentality, he might be able to sustain the QB1 spot for himself under Todd Monken.
“And the record has to be such that getting one of those quarterbacks is gonna be difficult. You’d have to win eight, nine games, maybe even go to the playoffs.”
Can Sanders Hold Onto QB1?
The urgency becomes clearer when you look at Sanders’ rookie sample. While the moments were there, he lacked consistency.
In his rookie season, Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, finishing with a 56.6% completion rate across eight games. He added 169 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
Across his appearances, the numbers painted a mixed picture: moments of promise, followed by stretches that kept the door open for skepticism. However, to put the blame entirely on him would not be wise. The Browns finished dead-last, 32nd, per the PFSN’s offense impact metric.
However, the good thing is that they have a chance to right the wrongs in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In his latest 3-round mock, PFSN’s Jacob Infante has Cleveland leaning into offense early, starting with Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate. As he noted, “There’s a chance the Cleveland Browns consider a quarterback early, but in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, they look to give Shedeur Sanders a fair chance to be the guy.”
It’s a needed addition. Cleveland’s receiving corps lacked punch last season, and Tate brings immediate upside. Infante highlighted his “enticing combination of raw size and high speed,” along with his ability to win vertically and attack the ball in the air. Then comes protection.
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With their second first-round pick, Infante projects Utah tackle Spencer Fano to Cleveland, doubling down on offensive support. “The Browns have a great chance to double down on their offense,” he wrote, pointing to Fano’s footwork, pass protection ability, and lateral quickness as key traits.
Put it all together, and the plan becomes obvious. Give Sanders weapons. Give him time. Then find out, once and for all.
