Trade deadlines are often defined by the deals that never happen. Front offices field plenty of calls, kick around ideas and set prices, but most of those conversations go nowhere. Once the deadline passes, the guessing game about what could have been begins. In Cleveland, that conversation has turned to Shedeur Sanders and whether the right offer would have changed everything.
Anthony Lima of 92.3 The Fan believes the Browns would have moved Sanders under the right circumstances, and he named the team he thinks could have made it happen.
“Had the Vikings all of a sudden said, ‘Hey, would you take a third-round pick for Shedeur?’ Yeah, Shedeur would be on the Vikings right now,” Lima said.
“Had the Vikings all of a sudden said, ‘Hey, would you take a third-round pick for Shedeur?’ Yeah, Shedeur would be on the Vikings right now.”
➡️ @SportsBoyTony tells @ADMegs_10 why he believes the #Browns would have traded Shedeur Sanders for the right offer, explaining how… pic.twitter.com/7qUUssTkfy
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) November 13, 2026
Minnesota is an interesting choice. The Vikings were the most active team in the quarterback market on deadline day, trading for Kirk Cousins to bring the veteran back to the franchise where he spent 6 seasons. That was the only notable quarterback move of the day, as the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens had already made their moves earlier.
Andew Berry has never been shy about turning players into draft capital. He traded Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for picks during the 2025 season, and this offseason he dealt Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and a package of selections. A 3rd-round pick for a quarterback the Browns took in the 5th round would fit that pattern.
The reporting tells a different story, though. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN said this week that, to his understanding, no team called the Browns about Sanders before the deadline.
There are good reasons Cleveland would want to keep him. Sanders is in his 2nd season and still on an inexpensive rookie contract. He just threw for 297 yards and 2 touchdowns without a turnover against the Saints, arguably the best game of his young career. Deshaun Watson is in the final year of his deal, and the Browns still do not know who their quarterback will be in 2027.
Sanders’ value has also been a hot topic since he hired an agent for the first time earlier this fall. Most of the speculation since then has pointed toward the offseason as the more likely time for any decision about his future.
For now, the debate is hypothetical. Sanders is back on the bench as Watson returns to face the Houston Texans on Sunday. If Watson struggles, the Browns may be glad they kept Sanders around.
NEXT: New Mock Draft Gives Browns A Surprising Non-QB Pick
