On Monday, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski committed to Shedeur Sanders as the team’s starting quarterback for the next four games.
Sanders impressed during Cleveland’s Week 14 loss against the Tennessee Titans, counting for four touchdowns, three through the air and one with his legs.
Now, Sanders and the Browns will face the Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals to close out their season.
With three starts under his belt and four more games remaining, Sanders has an opportunity to simplify Cleveland’s offseason plans.
If Sanders plays well, the path forward is easy.
Understanding that he has the next four starts, Sanders has an opportunity to never give back the reins as the starting quarterback of the Browns. If he plays well and continues to grow, the Browns will not be able to replace him next season, regardless of who will coach the team.
The Browns have two first-round draft picks in April.
If the NFL Draft were to be held before Week 15, the Browns would currently have the No. 4 overall pick. The New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and Titans are currently the three teams in front of the Browns, in that order.
It’s likely that the Raiders (who currently have the No. 2 overall selection) are the only team in front of the Browns that would select a quarterback. The Raiders and the Giants face each other in Week 17, so expect more movement in terms of draft positioning.
If Sanders plays well enough to win another game or two, the Browns are likely out of the Fernando Mendoza territory, as Indiana’s Heisman front-running quarterback is likely to be the first passer selected. That would allow the Browns to utilize their first-round selections on a wide receiver and offensive lineman, giving Sanders a full offseason to prepare for 2026.
A new head coach, general manager, or combination of those roles could decide to bring in their own quarterback, but Sanders has an opportunity to complicate that decision.
If Sanders falters, the Browns could draft his replacement.
In a universe where Sanders cannot replicate his four touchdown performance against the Titans, the Browns could look to draft their quarterback of the future.
This offseason, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam stated how important it was for head coach Kevin Stefanski and his staff to get a look at both rookie quarterbacks.
While Sanders has been more impressive than third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, the Browns could find themselves in a prime position to select Mendoza once the season concludes and the draft order is set.
Haslam also stated that three wins wasn’t good enough. That certainly puts pressure on Stefanski. If the Browns finish the season with three wins, a new head coach could arrive in Cleveland with the desire to draft his own quarterback.
The bottom line
With the Browns at 3-10, Sanders oddly finds himself in an ideal situation.
If the polarizing rookie quarterback continues to grow and can steal even one more victory, he’s likely in the driver seat to return next season as the Browns will find themselves too far back to select Mendoza.
However, if the Browns struggle and find themselves with one of the first two selections in April’s draft, they might have a hard time passing on a first-round quarterback again.
