The Cleveland Browns just made rookie Sheduer Sanders their No. 2 quarterback, but does that mean he’s untouchable through the remainder of 2025?
The answer to that question is probably yes, as team owner Jimmy Haslam has been adamant since before the regular season began that the franchise must get real looks at both Dillon Gabriel (third-rounder) and Sanders (fifth-rounder) before the 2026 NFL draft. The Browns (1-4) have two first-round picks in what should be, at the very least, a reasonable quarterback class and could be in position to select one of the top prospects.
Cleveland has already gotten a sense of Gabriel, who completed 19-of-33 passes for 190 yards and two scores against the advanced defensive scheme of the Minnesota Vikings on foreign soil. The Browns were competitive in the contest, and Gabriel appears likely to remain the starter for the foreseeable future.
Thus, it is hard to imagine Cleveland feeling as though it knows what it has in Sanders ahead of the NFL’s November 4 trade deadline. And under those circumstances, the Browns may not even entertain dealing the quarterback because there simply is no rush to do so.
However, if Gabriel sustains an injury this week or next, and Sanders gets in the game, it’s possible a team desperate enough for answers might come calling to inquire about the 23-year-old’s availability.
Shedeur Sanders Unlikely to Build Relevant Trade Value Ahead of Deadline
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Evan Massey of Newsweek authored a trade proposal on Friday, October 10, that would see Cleveland flip Sanders to the New Orleans Saints of the NFC South Division.
“While [the Browns trading Sanders] would be a major surprise, the possibility cannot be written off,” Massey wrote. “The Saints have started Spencer Rattler under center. They also have rookie quarterback Tyler Shough on the roster. A chance to acquire another young quarterback could be appealing to them.”
The obvious hole to punch in the proposal is that the Saints drafted Shough with the No. 40 overall pick in the second round, skipping over Sanders six times before the Browns moved up to select him in the early portion of Round 5.
Saints Have No Reason to Explore Trade With Browns for QB Shedeur Sanders — Yet
GettyQuarterback Spencer Rattler of the New Orleans Saints.
New Orleans isn’t likely to have changed its mind on Sanders, given the fact that the Browns have yet to play him a single regular-season snap and there is no tape of any import on which to re-evaluate him.
The Saints probably wouldn’t be willing to ship a pick any higher than the one the Browns spent on Sanders in the first place, unless the QB gets into a few games as plays well. But if that happens, why would Cleveland be in a rush to ship him out the door?
Rattler has played well enough to keep Shough off the field for all but two snaps in one game through the first five weeks of the season, despite a 1-4 start. Given where the Saints’ year is going and where Shough is at in his professional progression, there is no reason for New Orleans to rush into a trade for another rookie quarterback — particularly one the team passed over a handful of times in April.
All of that said, if Sanders gets on the field and shows flashes, and/or Shough gets some run and doesn’t comport himself particularly well, this hypothetical trade discussion could be worth revisiting next spring.
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