It might only be January, but Cleveland Browns fans are already concerned and talking about who the team’s quarterback will be in Week 1 of the 2026 season. They already have several options on the roster, but it remains to be seen which they’re most excited about.
Many fans want to see the Browns give Shedeur Sanders another chance, for some or all of the season, hoping he can prove that his slide on draft night was a mistake.
Analyst Garrett Bush seems to agree with this philosophy, which he shared via the “Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.”
“If we put our cars behind somebody for 2026 and it don’t work, guess what you get the opportunity to do? If Shedeur played in 2026, they put everything around him, and it didn’t work out, there is no excuse for anybody, whether you support him or not, to say, ‘I see why the Browns have to go in 2027 and get a quarterback,'” Bush said.
If the #Browns decided to build around Shedeur Sanders in 2026 (improved OL & WRs) and it still didn’t work – @Gbush91 says he believes nobody would have an issue with the team moving on in 2027, not even Shedeur’s own supporters. Do you agree with G?
▶️:… pic.twitter.com/EqUH6WaVgW
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) January 21, 2026
To Bush, the Browns could build a team around Sanders, at least for one year, just to see how he can do as QB1. If it doesn’t work out, the good news is that the quarterback class in the 2027 NFL Draft is said to be outstanding, so the Browns could pursue someone there if Sanders doesn’t work out.
They are armed with two first-round picks this year, but with a QB class that seems to drop off significantly after Fernando Mendoza, it might not be the draft to take a swing at another QB. Instead, the Browns could use these picks to go after receivers, offensive linemen, or other players who can help fortify this offense.
Sanders showed some flashes during his rookie year, and he could conceivably get a lot better over the next few months if he’s given the proper attention and coaching. The NFL, more than ever, is a league where people seem to be asking, “What have you done for me lately?” If quarterbacks don’t perform in their first few seasons, they’re rarely given the chance to grow and develop, and are often shipped off to another team or entirely disappear from the league.
It will be interesting to see what happens to Sanders in a few years, but as 2026 is concerned, fans want to see him on the field.
NEXT: Draft Expert Says Browns Have Big Opportunity In 2026
