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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Shedeur Sanders remains the backup quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, with Deshaun Watson as the starter.
The initial decision to roll with Watson was surprising, given that he's coming off two Achilles tears, hadn't played in the NFL in nearly two years, and criticized his own fanbase in the preseason. Yet here we are.
And to be fair, he looked much better in Week 2. The Browns defeated the Buccaneers 23-19, with Watson completing 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, with zero interceptions, while adding 22 rushing yards. Head coach Todd Monken continues to back him, and it's starting to feel like he could remain the starter in Week 3, the point at which some speculated Cleveland might turn to Sanders.
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Now, Sanders' future with the Browns is in question, especially as other teams around the league suddenly find themselves in need of a quarterback. On Wednesday, ESPN Cleveland's Tony Rizzo predicted that Sanders could be traded before the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 10.
"How many starts does Watson make this year? He's already got two," Rizzo said. "I think the Browns deal Shedeur before the deadline, and I think [Dillon] Gabriel is your backup and Taylen Green is your third. I think Deshaun could start a dozen games."
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This isn't the situation anybody expected Cleveland to be in a couple of weeks ago. Watson is entering the final year of his five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract, and the team is expected to draft its quarterback of the future in the 2027 NFL Draft. Watson was widely projected to start only a handful of games before giving Sanders a shot, with the team potentially tanking altogether to draft a top prospect like Arch Manning, Dante Moore, or Darian Mensah.
Now, all of a sudden, it's starting to feel like Watson could start the rest of the year. If that's the case, it might make sense for the Browns to deal Sanders and get back some pieces in return to build a more competitive roster.
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That possibility becomes even more realistic when you consider what's happening around the league. The New York Giants just lost Jaxson Dart, potentially to a season-ending knee injury. The Washington Commanders just lost Jayden Daniels to a serious elbow injury, also potentially season-ending. The Atlanta Falcons are still sorting out their quarterback situation between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa. And the Chicago Bears may be without Caleb Williams for up to four weeks, according to recent reports.
Any of these teams could make sense as a potential trade partner for Sanders, who has shown he can move the offense with the right weapons. Last season with the Browns, he threw for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns with 10 interceptions across seven starts, along with 169 rushing yards.
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