Shedeur Sanders’ future with the Cleveland Browns started to take on more doubt after he lost the competition to Deshaun Watson for this season’s starting job. His status as the backup became more tenuous when Dillon Gabriel was moved from injured reserve to the active roster.
Now, with the NFL trade deadline less than two weeks away, Sanders’ role with the Browns is even more uncertain. That’s especially true with rumors that Gabriel might be moved ahead of him on the depth chart.
That is why analyst Daryl Ruiter said a Browns trade of Sanders would not be shocking, even though he does not expect it to come to fruition.
“If they traded Shedeur, I would not be shocked. I’m not saying it’s going to happen. It just wouldn’t shock me,” Ruiter said.
“If they traded Shedeur, I would not be shocked. I'm not saying it's going to happen.”
➡️ @RuiterWrongFAN w/ @KenCarman & @SportsBoyTony on Shedeur Sanders' uncertain future and whether the #Browns could move a quarterback before the trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/sk0tWXm6nX
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 30, 2026
Sanders added to the trade idea when he recently announced that he has hired an agent. He did not have one entering the 2025 NFL Draft, and there is no pending contract negotiation, so it was believed that he did so now to help facilitate a trade.
“I get why people are trying to connect the dots here. I’m not gonna push back on any of that,” Ruiter said.
Despite some indications that Gabriel has been taking second-team reps, Ruiter said that in the portion of Browns practices open to the media, that role still belongs to Sanders. But with Gabriel recently returning and rookie Taylen Green also on hand, Cleveland now has four QBs on its 53-man roster, a situation Ruiter called “a little bonkers.”
So, he said the Browns may want to move on from one of them before the deadline. As an unexpected playoff contender, Cleveland may need room for a more useful player who can better help their postseason push.
If Sanders does not fit into the Browns’ plans after this season, it could benefit them to see what kind of trade value he has. However, as a fifth-round pick that every NFL team passed over multiple times, the market may turn out to be sparse.
However, an injury elsewhere can change things quickly, so, as Ruiter said, it would not be a complete surprise if Sanders were to leave the Browns in the next couple of weeks.
NEXT: Film Expert Raves About Browns’ Young Linebacker
