Shedeur Sanders went from a historic performance the Cleveland Browns hadn’t seen in 75 years to an ugly, turnover-filled, and touchdown-deprived outing all too familiar from the quarterback position. Sanders managed just 18 completions on 35 attempts for 177 yards, with no touchdowns and three interceptions, in a 31-3 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
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While one of those picks should have been a Jerry Jeudy touchdown if not for the WR getting out-muscled for the ball, it was not a banner day for Sanders. One might expect some of his harshest critics, such as Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, to pounce on this performance.
They could use it as a reason either to bring Dillon Gabriel back or for the Browns to consider selecting a new quarterback with what is likely to be a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, she did the opposite.
Cabot was very understanding and was clearly looking for the positives. Perhaps that’s because she gets the feeling Sanders is here for the long haul. During an appearance on the Fan 92.3’s Tailgate show on Sunday, she said that the “vibe” she got from the organization is that they’re ready to give Sanders a real shot as the starting QB in 2026 and beyond.
“I think there’s something here, and I think that the Browns are probably going to conclude when they get to the end of this four-game stretch, the final seven starts for Shedeur Sanders. I just have a feeling that they’re gonna analyze the whole thing and decide they want to move forward with him,” said the Browns beat writer.
“I can’t say for sure yet, but I feel like it sort of has that vibe and it feels like it’s almost kind of trending in that direction,” she added.
It seems the whole of Cleveland is starting to warm to the idea of Shedeur Sanders as a long-term answer at quarterback. And why not? Cleveland has had such a rollercoaster at that position since rejoining the league in 1999. Why not jump at the chance to get behind a guy who’s actually showing off some franchise QB attributes… even in a 31-3 loss in windy Chicago.
The Browns just have to ensure they don’t end up treating Sanders like they’ve treated other promising young signal callers in the past, namely Baker Mayfield. If they’re going to get behind the Colorado product, they need to do it 100 percent by drafting either a wideout or a left tackle with their first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
As things stand through Week 15, the Browns will be making the No. 5 overall selection when the draft comes around again next April. Will it be Shedeur replacement, or Shedeur assistance? Right now, it’s leaning towards the latter.
