Shedeur Sanders has an incredible opportunity in front of him that he is clearly not taking lightly. He is in a heated battle with Deshaun Watson to win the starting quarterback gig for the Cleveland Browns in what is setting up to be a crucial year for both him and the franchise given all the signs pointing toward the team bringing in a new franchise quarterback in the 2027 draft.
In an ideal world, the Browns would already know who the starter is going to be, but new head coach Todd Monken understandably wants more time to make such an important decision. Recent reports suggest the fans’ input on the matter is an even bigger factor than many believe as well, but one former Pro Bowler believes the decision is going to come down to how much better Sanders has gotten over the past few months.
Former Pro Bowl running back Phillip Lindsay recently discussed Sanders quest for QB1 duties and stressed the importance of him being humbled. The question is how he bounces back from it, and Lindsay believes he has what it takes to beat out Watson for this job.
“So I think for Shedeur, you’re going to get the best version of him this year. He will beat out Deshaun Watson. I truly think he can beat out Deshaun Watson. He’s young. He has very good talent. He’s smart. He just has to go out there and stay consistent,” Phillip Lindsay said.
Sanders was on top of the world during his days at Colorado playing under his father and alongside his brother and went into the 2025 draft with hopes of being a top five pick. He was humbled about as strongly as an NFL prospect can be as he slipped to the fifth round and went into camp as the fourth-string QB.
He still fought hard enough to make seven starts down the stretch, and now with an exciting new coaching staff in Cleveland and plenty of new young weapons in place, he is a candidate for a major bounce back season. He showed severe ups and downs during his time as a starter last year, but he also stepped into a dumpster fire that would have been a nearly impossible situation for just about any QB. The offense wasn’t suited for him, the offensive line was banged up, and the game plans weren’t catered to his strengths.
It’s now or never with the 2027 draft looming, and only time will tell what happens. The fact that Monken hasn’t made a decision yet could imply that Sanders made a strong impression at OTAs, so hopefully he can carry that momentum over into training camp.
NEXT: Insider Reveals What Shedeur Sanders Must Do To Win QB Job
