Shedeur Sanders’ first season with the Cleveland Browns hasn’t been without its fair share of ups and downs, triumphs and disappointments. However, most fans and analysts agree that he has shown progression during his rookie campaign.
Appearing on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, former Browns QB Brian Hoyer agreed with that sentiment, but said that Sanders still has a ways to go. He has minimized some bad habits, but they are still there, and Sanders needs to keep addressing them.
“As he progresses, you have to eliminate bad football. The only way to be successful in this league is to eliminate bad football. When you make that mistake, don’t make it the next time,” Hoyer said.
He added, “I see improvement, there’s no doubt about it. Now has to come the consistency.”
Nobody understands the QB position better than guys who played it at the highest level.@bhoyer7 on Shedeur Sanders progression from his first start to now: pic.twitter.com/Z8Z9tMoJUt
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) January 2, 2026
Hoyer pointed to Sanders’ last game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he was looking more comfortable in the pocket, more accurate with his throws, and more strategic with his throws.
On top of all that, Sanders has proven that some nasty and cold weather won’t get in his way, which is great for any young player trying to make an impact in the AFC North.
He’s not perfect, however, but many of the problems getting in Sanders’ way aren’t entirely his fault, Hoyer stated. The rest of the offensive line has to be better if the Browns want their young QB to have any chance of leading.
Unfortunately for Sanders, he only has one more regular-season game to make a case for being the starting quarterback next year. According to most reports, the Browns are still contemplating what’s next for him, and nothing has been decided.
That means that even with the progress highlighted by Hoyer, Sander is entering the offseason with a massive question mark over his head. He has improved his game, but it may not have been enough to secure his role on this team.
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