Shedeur Sanders has had his chances to win the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback job this offseason, and while he turned plenty of heads during OTAs, he hasn’t been able to separate himself enough in training camp or the preseason. His brutal interception in the first game against the Chicago Bears didn’t do him any favors, but he’ll have a chance to redeem himself as he gets the start on Saturday in the second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.
Some are wondering if Sanders ever had a real chance to begin with since ownership publicly supported Deshaun Watson earlier in the offseason. No matter how you look at it, Sanders’ time to win the job is likely over, but former quarterback Robert Griffin III is of the belief that he really didn’t have a shot despite that rumor being shut down.
RGIII took to X on Wednesday to state that Cleveland never had any intention to start Sanders. He believes starting him on Saturday without the other starters is a senseless gesture that will only subject the locker rooms and fans to more unnecessary noise.
“I’m convinced the Cleveland Browns never had any intention to start Shedeur Sanders. Shedeur starting the 2nd preseason game without the rest of the Browns starters makes zero sense. It’s impossible to get a comparable evaluation in a QB competition if Shedeur doesn’t get to play with all the starters. Shedeur doesn’t have a $230 million fully guaranteed contract. It’s a business. I get it. But the Browns could have saved the locker room and the fans from a lot of unnecessary noise from the media by just declaring they planned to start Deshaun Watson no matter what,” said Griffin.
I’m convinced the Cleveland Browns never had any intention to start Shedeur Sanders.
Shedeur starting the 2nd preseason game without the rest of the Browns starters makes zero sense.
It’s impossible to get a comparable evaluation in a QB competition if Shedeur doesn’t get to… pic.twitter.com/oQcmmmCioa
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 19, 2026
Sanders starting alongside all the backups is as clear of an indication as the fans have gotten up to this point that he definitely isn’t winning this quarterback competition. It’s tough to see what the point is of him starting at all if he isn’t going to have a chance to show what he can do alongside the other starters.
This was a common gripe with Kevin Stefanski last year since he was orchestrating a four-man QB competition, yet hardly ever gave Sanders reps with the starters. Sanders is getting reps with the starters in training camp, but if he isn’t getting them in preseason action, the writing is on the wall.
Sanders’ supporters are going to get louder if Watson is unable to deliver on his opportunity. The fans aren’t going to love seeing him trot out there in Week 1 and will likely let him hear it, but all Watson can do is keep his head down and keep working. He is doing all the right things in the locker room and off the field, and eventually those results will hopefully show up where it counts.
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