The Cleveland Browns went into this season with a four-man quarterback competition, which is hardly the recipe for a successful season in the NFL. Because of that, it’s no surprise the Browns are 3-10, but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.
Shedeur Sanders has made the last three starts at quarterback and has showed plenty of promise, including in a most recent loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 14 where he racked up nearly 400 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns. He played well enough to encourage the coaching staff to name him the starter for the rest of the season, but Skip Bayless believes he could be the answer for much longer than that.
Bayless has been an avid Sanders supporter for a long time, as have many of the biggest figures in the media.
During a recent episode of The Arena: Gridiron, he said he believes Cleveland has its franchise QB.
“You saw a potential franchise quarterback. I think they’ve found who they’ve been looking for.”
.@RealSkipBayless thinks the Browns have found their franchise QB pic.twitter.com/SioOExr3T7
— The Arena: Gridiron (@ArenaGridiron) December 11, 2025
With two first-round picks in the 2026 draft, the Browns have the picks to go get a potential franchise QB in April, but Sanders is putting pressure on that idea. His ability to push the ball down the field has opened the offense up and provided a bright light in a dark season.
With four more starts to go this season, Sanders will have plenty of chances to prove that his performance up to this point hasn’t been a fluke. Cleveland’s last four games are against three likely playoff teams and Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals, so the level of competition is going up considerably.
He can’t face the Titans every week, and if he can come close to that level of performance against some of the league’s best teams, he truly has a chance to solidify himself as the franchise QB. Many fans wanted this for months, and that day has finally here.
Shedeur Sanders could legitimately be the guy.
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