The Cleveland Browns have a major question mark at quarterback.
Cleveland has four quarterbacks on the roster entering OTAs in Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Taylen Green, who the team selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. It seems unlikely the Browns would carry four quarterbacks, so a trade could be in the works.
With that, NFL analyst Wynston Wilcox of FanSided urges the Browns to trade Sanders to their division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in a stunning move.
“Sanders could very well provide them with a shot at long-term stability. Assuming Rodgers comes back this year, Sanders learning behind him could be the best thing for him,” Wilcox wrote. “Sanders has three more years, including 2026, left on his rookie deal. It would make sense for the Steelers to see if he could be their long -term answer.
“While they’re expecting Rodgers to be back in 2026, that doesn’t mean he’ll come back for a 23rd season. Pittsburgh has to start putting themselves first at the most important position. There’s no guarantee Sanders is the answer, but with the opportunity to land him, Pittsburgh would be wise to entertain it.”
The Browns trading Sanders would be a surprise, but trading him to a division rival would be more surprising. Sanders is still in the running to be the Browns’ starting quarterback this season, so it does seem unlikely Cleveland would trade him.
Yet, if the Steelers do make a bold offer, perhaps the Browns would deal Sanders and roll with Watson as the starter and have Gabriel and Green as depth.
Sanders ended the year as the Browns’ starter and was named to the Pro Bowl.
Watson Reportedly Leading Browns QB Race
Part of the reason why Cleveland could trade Sanders is that it appears Watson is the frontrunner to win the starting quarterback job.
Browns reporter Zac Jackson of The Athletic said he has heard that Cleveland wants Watson to start, even if he doesn’t think it makes sense.
“There’s just no gain in the Browns playing Deshaun Watson,” Jackson said on his “Zac Jackson and Friends” podcast. “I’ve been clear about that, I’ve thought about that, I have been questioned about that. I’ve not changed on that because that’s how it is as I’ve talked about here. There have been whispers, they want to play Deshaun, they’re going to play Deshaun, brace yourself for playing Deshaun. I’ve had no logical explanation for why that would be the truth.”
Watson is in the final year of his contract with the Browns, and Cleveland believes it has the best chance to win with him, so perhaps he will be the starter in Week 1.
Cleveland Not Close to Naming Starting QB
After the Browns hired Todd Monken as their head coach, he said he wanted to have a starting quarterback named before training camp.
However, ahead of OTAs, Monken said he’s not there yet in naming a starter.
“I would love to have that. I’m not there yet,” Monken said. “So I can’t say that. We’ve been on the field three practices, which was awesome to get out there with our players.”
Although Monken hasn’t named the Browns’ starting quarterback, all signs point to Cleveland naming Watson the starter with Sanders being the backup.
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