Shedeur Sanders Drops Bombshell on Future With Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns could soon be turning to Shedeur Sanders at quarterback.
Cleveland has been starting Dillon Gabriel, but there have been calls for Sanders to start amid the offense’s struggles. However, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has been adamant that Gabriel will remain the starter.
With the Browns on their bye week, Sanders said he’s remaining in Cleveland as he has to get ready.
“I’m not coming to CU homecoming, I can’t make it out there, I wish I could though. I just can’t happen, I got treatment out here. I gotta get ready, big ready,” Sanders
After Sanders’ comments, fans immediately thought him saying he had to get ready meant he could be starting soon.
“Looks like haslam told stefanski start Sanders or your fired and the ivy league nerd succumbed,” one Browns fan
“Qb1 omg it’s happening,” a fan added.
When Sanders starts games for the Browns, or if he will, is to be seen. But if Sanders is to be believed, he appears set to start games very soon for Cleveland.
Browns Coach Remaining With Gabriel
Although Sanders has said he’s getting ready, Stefanski has been adamant that Gabriel will remain the starter.
Stefanski knows the Browns offense has to be better, but he said Gabriel will remain the starting quarterback.
“When I say look at everything, when you lose like this, you have to look at everything,” Stefanski said. “Every position, everything I’m doing. There’s just — it’s frustrating for where we are as a team. Every position you have to look at. But let me say that with a young quarterback, you understand there’s going to be ups and downs.”
Although Stefanski is remaining with Gabriel, the coach does want more from the rookie quarterback.
“I just want to make the point that we just have to be better in every area, and we’ll look at everything we do, including how we’re putting these guys in position to succeed,” Stefanski said. “Are we doing enough? When I say looking at every position, are we doing enough with the quarterback position? Do we need to do a better job? And I think I know the answer is yes.”
Gabriel has thrown for 702 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions this season.
Sanders Dealt With an Injury Last Week
Although Sanders said he’s getting ready, he was inactive last week with an injury.
The rookie quarterback was ruled out with a back injury, according to Stefanski.
“Yeah, he obviously came in Saturday with his back injury. We were hopeful that he’d be able to move around well enough to suit up on Sunday,”
However, after the game, Sanders said it wasn’t his decision to be inactive, and he felt like he was healthy. He also isn’t worried about it being a long-term injury.
“I guarantee I’m going to be good,” Sanders added.
Sanders was selected 144th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Raiders need more than this proposed package to trade Jackson Powers-Johnson
The Las Vegas Raiders have had an ugly start to the 2025 NFL season and are expected to be sellers ahead of the November 4 trade deadline. While Jakobi Meyers is the player who is most likely to be moved, several other players could find themselves on a different roster this time next week.
One of those players, unfortunately, is Jackson Powers-Johnson, who has seemingly never had the support of the new coaching staff. The second-year offensive lineman was moved from center to guard during training camp and forced to compete with Alex Cappa for a starting role.
While he won the job, he's seemingly been benched multiple times, most recently in the Raiders' Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, indicating that he still has not won over the staff. While he has not had a great sophomore season by any stretch, he's still a valuable piece of the team's future.
Raiders should hesitate at moving Jackson Powers-Johnson for this price
Last week, we wrote about Powers-Johnson as a surprise trade candidate. Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox corroborated this on Wednesday, listing the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams as potential landing spots, with Las Vegas getting a 4th-round pick and/or a veteran cornerback in return.
"The current Las Vegas Raiders regime just doesn't seem to like 2024 second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson," Knox wrote. "Despite being one of the nation's top centers in college and starting 14 games as a rookie, the 22-year-old was forced to earn his job during the offseason. After regaining a starting role at guard, though, he was benched during a Week 7 blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. While his early 2025 campaign hasn't made a positive impact on Powers-Johnson's trade value, his upside is tremendous. ... The Raiders were on bye in Week 8 and may believe they can turn things around over the second half of the season. They don't believe in Powers-Johnson, though, and should move him to a team that does."
Powers-Johnson's current trade value is likely at its lowest point since he got into the NFL. But he's made five starts this season and posted a 63.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade that ranks 31st out of 82 qualifying guards, meaning he is still in the upper half of players at his position.
While he has thrived in run blocking with a 72.0 grade that ranks 15th, he has struggled tremendously with pass blocking, as his 47.4 grade ranks just 69th. Powers-Johnson has given up two sacks, two quarterback hits and four hurries in just five games, which is a bit concerning.
Although the coaching staff does not seem to value the second-year lineman, it is far too early in his career to give up on him, particularly for a Day 3 pick. The Raiders don't have many young players who have proven they can contribute in the NFL, and shouldn't be moving on from those who have.
While selling off pieces ahead of the trade deadline makes plenty of sense, Las Vegas should focus on moving veterans who may not be around when the team finally turns the corner. Powers-Johnson should be allowed to work through his often overblown struggles.
If the staff still isn't sold on his future with the team after the next 10 games, there is an argument that Powers-Johnson could be moved this offseason. But, again, the team would need more than a Day 3 pick or a veteran cornerback, the latter of which they can acquire without dealing their starting guard.
Powers-Johnson is still just 21 games into his career, and growing pains are expected for young players. Furthermore, Powers-Johnson has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and he was on the PFWA All-Rookie team last season, so there should be no rush to move him.
If he rebounds and the new regime still isn't a fan of his for some reason, then the package they could get after the season would presumably be better than anything they will be offered in the upcoming week anyway.
