The trade deadline is quickly approaching, and speculation continues to swirl around Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
The Browns snagged Sanders in the fifth round of the draft, ending his surprising slide and adding an intriguing developmental piece to their quarterback room. Since then, Sanders has steadily moved up the depth chart, but Cleveland has shown little indication that he’ll see meaningful snaps this season.
With other teams looking for quarterback help, Sanders could be an appealing low-risk, high-upside prospect still early in his development. The Browns, who hold two first-round picks next year, may be open to dealing him if the right offer comes along.
Browns legend Josh Cribbs floated the New York Jets — Cleveland’s next opponent — as a potential suitor and said Sanders’ value remains sky-high despite his lack of NFL experience.
“There are teams right now, like the Jets, they want a Shedeur Sanders. The rumors, I believe, are absolutely true,” Cribbs said. “They’ll have to give up a second rounder for him, and nothing less. And if he plays in this terrible offense right now that (the Browns) are currently showing, his value will go down.”
Jets Logical Landing Spot for Browns QB Shedeur Sanders
The Jets have been going with Justin Fields as their starter, but the former first-round pick has struggled to find consistency. New York sits at 1-7 and owns one of the league’s worst offenses despite signing Fields in the offseason on a two-year, $40 million deal.
Fields’ performance has prompted frustration inside the organization, including from team owner Woody Johnson, who publicly criticized Fields.
“It’s hard when you have a quarterback with a rating that we’ve got,” Johnson said. “If we could just complete a pass, it would look good.”
With the Jets’ season spiraling and patience wearing thin, speculation continues about how long Fields will remain under center. The uncertainty at quarterback makes the Jets an intriguing trade partner for the Browns and Sanders.
Cleveland heads to MetLife Stadium after its bye week to face New York, and it would be quite the story if Sanders were on the opposite sideline by then. The trade deadline is Nov. 4.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Remains Ready for Opportunity
The more likely scenario is that Sanders remains in Cleveland and could get his opportunity later this season if Dillon Gabriel’s struggles continue. Gabriel has gone 1-3 as the starter and has failed to ignite the Browns’ offense, averaging just 4.9 yards per attempt with very few explosive plays through the air.
For now, Gabriel will remain under center when the Browns return from their bye week. Head coach Kevin Stefanski isn’t ready to make a change, saying the issues go beyond just the quarterback.
“Playing good on offense is about 11 guys on the field and us as coaches doing our job,” Stefanski said. “Obviously, young players will learn in each outing that they’re out there. I think Dillon will continue to learn and get better, but it’s really an entire offensive thing where we all need to be better.”
When asked directly about Sanders getting a chance to play, Stefanski said it’s not his current “focus.”
Sanders remained in Cleveland over the bye week, focusing on recovery from a back injury that sidelined him before the Patriots game. On a recent livestream, Sanders said he’s using the time to get healthy and prepare for when his number is called.
“I can’t make it out there. I wish I could, though, but it just can’t happen,” Sanders said about returning to Colorado during the off week. “I got treatment out here. I can’t be eh. I gotta get ready. Big ready.”
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