After spending a third-round and another fifth-round pick on QBs last year, the Cleveland Browns still didn’t get a signal caller to become the face of the franchise. One of those QBs, Shedeur Sanders, got the starting gig at the end of the year after a long QB battle. He didn’t quite show out in his seven starts (7 TDs-10 INTs), but he could make a solid comeback this year.
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Still, Shedeur would have to compete with Deshaun Watson, who’s coming back from injury, as well as the QB from his draft class, Dillion Gabriel. The team could also bolster the position with an addition from this year’s draft.
The Browns have two first-round picks and an early second-round 39th pick. With the 24th pick they have or the 39th one, they could definitely go for Ty Simpson, a one-year college starter. The Alabama prospect himself has expressed interest in joining the team, which brought in head coach Todd Monken this offseason. Simpson says Monken is a family friend, increasing the likelihood they’ll work together in Cleveland.
If that happens, though, Shedeur has another long uphill battle to secure the starting gig, which will certainly be frustrating for him. That’s why LeSean McCoy had some advice for the young QB.
“I talked to Shedeur, I’m like, ‘Yo, you shouldn’t care who they bringing in. You should want them to bring someone else. Because if they do, that brings the best in you,'” McCoy revealed on the Speakeasy podcast.
The former running back added that competition will bring out the best in Shedeur and show how he responds when challenged.
“I’ve always said, competition is the best thing for a player. If you wanna see how good a player is, bring somebody that’s decent, and you’ll see how he responds. Does he quit and puts his tail between his legs, or does he go out on his shield? So, I like that for Shedeur. I don’t think he’s going to be nervous at all,” McCoy noted.
McCoy, who has developed a close relationship with the Sanders family and always vocally supports them, also didn’t blame the Browns for potentially drafting another QB. “Then with the Browns, they’re trying to figure things out, right?” he said.
“I talked to Shedeur [Sanders]… Competition is the best thing for a player”
– @CutonDime25 on Alabama QB prospect, Ty Simpson, saying he would love to play for Todd Monken and the Cleveland Browns pic.twitter.com/e4OwU7RZsP
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) March 2, 2026
Notably, Shedeur went 3-4 in his seven starts last year. Now, with a completely overhauled coaching staff, he’d need to do more than just watch his tape from last season and improve to lead this team to the promised land. As McCoy insisted, Shedeur needs competition.
And while he slid to the fifth round last year, Shedeur was still regarded as one of the best prospects out there before the combine and everything that followed. So Simpson shouldn’t be a problem as a competition if the talent is there.
Let’s also not forget that the team needs to bolster its offensive line, wide receiver group, and linebacker and cornerback positions on defense. So who knows, maybe they don’t even go for a QB in the draft. Well… whatever happens, this team will be a major talking point in the media this year. Just like last year.
