It is looking more and more like the Cleveland Browns fell backwards into found money by selecting Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of this year’s NFL draft.
Based on reports from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com on Saturday, June 14, Sanders has impressed the Browns’ coaching staff through rookie minicamp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp — the last of which wrapped late last week.
However, Sanders is still QB4 in Cleveland, even despite the fact that his arrow is pointing up. Browns brass, namely head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry, must thread a fine needle during the 2025 campaign if they hope to guarantee their current — and highly lucrative — positions within the franchise. The team must show real progress from the 3-14 record it posted last year, while also providing legitimate hope for longterm success and a logical path to that.
Doing both of those things is going to be difficult if the franchise starts a rookie quarterback in either Sanders or Dillon Gabriel. One, or both, could show flashes of brilliance and a chance to be great in the future, yet still lead the Browns to among the worst records in the league. As such, starting Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett might make the most sense before transitioning to a rookie QB later on, but those options also have obvious pitfalls.
Cleveland isn’t likely to carry four quarterbacks into the season, let alone all the way through it. As such, given the reports of Sanders’ progress, the team should at least consider how it might be able to turn a relatively unknown pro prospect with upside into an uber-talented signal-caller who needs a change of scenery.
Enter Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts.
Anthony Richardson on Cusp of Losing Colts Starting Job to Daniel Jones During Preseason
GettyIndianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson.
This potential trade has been tackled before and met with outcry and claims of stupidity. However, there is an internal logic to it.
Richardson, who is battling a shoulder injury and is not currently practicing, is already on the cusp of losing his starting job in Indy to Daniel Jones, per Fowler’s report Saturday. Current Colts head coach Shane Steichen benched Richardson for a time during the middle of last season after injury stole all but four games of the quarterback’s rookie campaign.
The Colts need answers now considering the ownership change in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, the relationship between Richardson and Steichen is already strained due to the benching, and the relationship between the fans and Richardson is tenuous after the QB asked out of a regular-season game last year because he was fatigued.
“Prior to [Richardson’s preseason shoulder] injury, the Colts already planned for an open competition this summer between Richardson and Daniel Jones, who signed as a free agent,” Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report wrote on June 13. ” If Richardson can’t find his way back onto the field and show marked improvement in short order, Jones could easily be Indianapolis’ starting quarterback for the entire 2025 campaign.”
Trading Shedeur Sanders for Anthony Richardson Offers Browns Chance to Thread Needle in 2025
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Should Jones best Richardson for the starting job come Week 1, and should Sanders remain buried on the Browns’ depth chart, a swap that includes a late Day-2 or early Day-3 pick going from the Browns to the Colts could provide both franchises with the restart they need, while also improving the situations for both quarterbacks.
Richardson has elite arm talent and mobility, but he needs considerable development. Dealing for high draft picks with huge talent who are still on their rookie contracts and need fresh starts is a proven method of making value trades in the NFL and other professional sports leagues such as the NBA.
Indianapolis can’t trade Richardson straight up for an early fifth-round pick in Sanders who has considerably less unteachable talent. However, the Colts can justify dealing Richardson for a player in Sanders who had mostly first- and second-round grades coming into the draft and then put together a quality preseason — as long as Indy also gets a reasonable draft asset back in return.
The Browns can justify flipping Sanders and a mid-round pick for the No. 4 overall selection in from two years ago given Richardson’s elite talents and Stefanski’s expertise when it comes to developing quarterbacks. It also helps that Richardson and Sanders are the same age (23).
Cleveland would keep Gabriel as a secondary young option under center and could still start this season with Flacco or Pickett. Then, once Richardson is comfortable and versed in the offense, the Browns could move him into the starting spot.
Because while none of Cleveland’s current quarterbacks can necessarily provide the team with both a winning option this year and longterm hope for the future, Richardson can potentially offer the Browns both.
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