Throughout the offseason, plenty of people didn’t think that Deshaun Watson had what it takes to lead the Cleveland Browns. Many of those fans were throwing their support behind Shedeur Sanders and thought he could be the future of the team.
Now, things have drastically changed. Watson has done very well during the first four weeks of the season and has led the Browns to a surprising 3-1 record. Sanders, on the other hand, has been sitting on the sidelines.
It may not stay that way, and Ken Carman spoke on 92.3 The Fan about how Sanders could “prove” that he is worthy of more time on the field.
“Shedeur has to go out there and prove it. If he doesn’t prove it to that level, then you’re gonna go back to Deshaun Watson. If Shedeur throws for three touchdowns, no picks, 300 yards, and they win games going away, it is Shedeur Sanders’ job. But if it’s somewhere in the same vicinity of what Deshaun Watson has done, you’re putting Deshaun Watson back in the game,” Carman said.
“Shedeur has to go out there and prove it.”
“If it’s somewhere in the same vicinity of what Deshaun Watson has done, you’re putting Deshaun Watson back in the game.”
➡️ @KenCarman w/ @SportsBoyTony on what Shedeur Sanders would have to do to earn the Browns’ starting QB job. pic.twitter.com/djTodBBZQY
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 7, 2026
This sounds an awful lot like what people were saying during the offseason, claiming that Sanders needed to show his on-field talent and make only a limited number of mistakes.
Of course, the same was true for Watson and, so far, he has achieved that task. Because of how well he’s been doing, it isn’t clear when Sanders would get the chance to take to the field and prove anything. The Browns don’t seem interested in changing anything right now, but people should wait and see how they feel if and when they face more adversity. Perhaps then there would be more of a drive to put Sanders on the field.
There’s more clarity than in the recent past, but there are still many questions about the Browns’ quarterback situation. Yes, Watson is doing well right now, but that is creating uncertainty about Sanders, his future, and any chance he has of being the team’s starting quarterback again. At this point, Sanders needs to earn a chance to show his skills and then do just that.
It sounds like a tall order for the young QB.
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