All the Cleveland Browns fans who have been clamoring to get a look at Shedeur Sanders will finally get their wish on Sunday as he makes his first start of the season at the New Orleans Saints. Deshaun Watson cleared concussion protocol on Saturday, but the Browns are still playing it safe and giving him the week off, turning to Sanders to get this team to 6-3.
Sanders showed promise throughout camp and preseason, but the powers that be ultimately decided to give Watson one more chance to prove himself. It turned out to be the right move, but Sanders now has a golden opportunity on his hands and needs to prove himself as well. He’s going up against a team that has allowed over 34 points per game in the Superdome this season, and with the future so up in the air, Sanders could be auditioning for 31 other teams around the league as well.
The pressure is on the young quarterback and everybody knows it. Former lineman Richie Incognito knows it as well and said as much during a recent episode of his podcast, Initial Contact.
“When your opportunities come in the NFL, you might only get one of them. The voices are going to get really, really loud if he goes out there and has a flat performance. Get the ball to the playmakers’ hands. Be efficient. Do not take sacks. Do not turn the ball over, and this will be a success,” Incognito said.
It’s the moment of truth ⏰ Will Shedeur Sanders deliver? 🤔
📸: IMAGN Images pic.twitter.com/JuzkTGdTdu
— Initial Contact (@initialcontact) November 7, 2026
It sounds dramatic, but Incognito is right. You only get so many chances in this league and with Watson already out of concussion protocol, this could be Sanders’ only chance to see the field this year. His stock will improve quite a bit if he can have a strong performance and deliver a victory before heading back to the bench.
Sanders made headlines a few weeks ago when he randomly decided to hire an agent for the first time, which added fuel to the trade rumor fire that was already burning. Recent reports suggest a trade is unlikely, but there are definitely some QB-needy teams around the league who will have an eye on Sunday’s matchup to see if Sanders has made some improvements.
This is the biggest start of Shedeur Sanders’ young career and he’s going against a defense that hasn’t been able to stop a nosebleed on its home turf. There is a lot riding on this game and he needs to show the world that he has made improvements from the end of last season. If he doesn’t, his path to eventually being a starter gets even bleaker.
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