With Deshaun Watson now having a truly impressive performance under his belt and his first win as a starter in two years, the narrative around the Cleveland Browns’ 2026 season could begin to look a lot different soon. The Carolina Panthers come to town on Sunday and if the Browns can advance to 2-1, it will only make it more likely that Watson will hold onto the starting job for many weeks to come.
It’s not the news that all the Shedeur Sanders supporters wanted to hear. True Browns fans are rooting for the team to win, but many were certainly hoping to see Sanders take the job from Watson as soon as possible, which is now looking highly unlikely and has some wondering if a Sanders trade is on the table.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes the New York Giants should put in a call and see if they can bring Sanders in. Starting quarterback Jaxson Dart was likely lost for the year on Monday Night Football due to a knee injury, and backup Jameis Winston was unexceptional in relief, so there could be a door open for the G-Men to go QB hunting.
“I would tell the Giants to go out and pursue Shedeur Sanders. It ain’t about looking for a top-30 quarterback. It’s about looking for a better backup than Jameis Winston. Could you find that?” said Smith.
"I would tell the Giants to go out and pursue Shedeur Sanders" – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/Uq85U5ZlW9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 24, 2026
It was a brutal turn of events for the Giants after their big Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Expectations were high after signing John Harbaugh to be the new head coach this offseason and with the team finally healthy, it was time for them to take a big leap forward.
All of that is now on hold with Dart on the shelf. Sanders isn’t likely to be the solution, but if the Giants are desperate enough to cough up a significant draft pick, the Browns would certainly have to at least listen.
Dillon Gabriel is on his way back soon as well, so something has to be done to clear up the traffic in this QB room. It’s not what many Browns fans want to hear, but the best option for the team and for Sanders at this point could be a trade. It’s not looking like Sanders will get another extended look in Cleveland, but with the Giants, he’d have the rest of the season to prove himself.
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