The Shedeur Sanders experiment: Is 7 games enough to bet the Browns’ future on?

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  1. Browns
  • Published: Dec. 29, 2025, 7:00 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns' 13-6 triumph complete Pittsburgh whitethorn person been celebrated successful nan locker room, but it intensified nan franchise’s astir captious question: Is Shedeur Sanders nan backmost of nan future, aliases conscionable an intriguing placeholder while nan statement pursues a much proven option?

The fifth-round rookie continued showing flashes of imaginable against nan Steelers, displaying improved pouch beingness and decision-making that has nan Orange and Brown Talk podcast hosts questioning whether these 7 games should person nan statement to build astir him alternatively than prosecute a backmost successful nan upcoming draft.

“I don’t deliberation there’s immoderate measurement anyone who’s looking astatine this objectively tin look astatine nan measurement Shedeur Sanders has played and definitively opportunity he is this team’s QB1 moving guardant for nan adjacent — erstwhile we opportunity QB1, I’m talking he’s nan feline for nan adjacent 10 years,” Orange and Brown Talk big Dan Labbe stated firmly, pushing backmost against fans who person already anointed Sanders nan franchise’s future.

The podcast highlighted a captious interest that will measurement heavy successful nan beforehand office’s evaluation: Sanders’ propensity for turnovers. Browns hit newsman Mary Kay Cabot emphasized this issue: “I deliberation 1 of nan things that they’re going to person to find and 1 of nan things that he’s going to person to activity difficult connected is not throwing interceptions. So you person to fig retired is Shedeur going to beryllium 1 of these group that throws a batch of bully passes, a batch of explosives, a batch of touchdowns and a batch of interceptions and tin you unrecorded pinch those interceptions?”

What makes this determination moreover much analyzable is nan Browns’ protect strength. With a defense that wholly unopen down Aaron Rodgers and nan Steelers, nan squad could perchance triumph pinch a backmost who simply avoids mistakes alternatively than carries nan franchise.

This reality has nan podcast hosts discussing a imaginable way guardant that wouldn’t require Sanders to beryllium a transcendent talent.

“This would beryllium nan Jalen Hurts exemplary wherever you conscionable build, you return each of your resources, (the Eagles) sewage Jalen Hurts successful nan 2nd round, and you usage each your resources to conscionable build up this roster astir this feline that you deliberation is bully capable to triumph shot games with,” Labbe said.

The Browns’ triumph dropped them from nan 3rd wide prime to sixth, perchance putting them retired of scope for apical backmost prospects for illustration Fernando Mendoza aliases Dante Moore without an fierce trade-up. This shifting draught position could really unit nan organization’s manus toward committing to Sanders.

“If you’re sitting astatine No. 6 and Caleb Downs is there, that’s specified an absorbing problem to have. Do you return that opportunity to conscionable adhd an absolute stud to a awesome defense?” Labbe questioned, highlighting really nan squad mightiness pivot to building astir Sanders alternatively than replacing him.

As Sanders continues to show maturation successful these last games, nan mobility becomes little astir his talent and much astir organizational philosophy: Do you perpetrate to processing a fifth-round prime who’s shown promise, aliases do you proceed nan decades-long hunt for a franchise backmost done nan draft?

The reply will style nan Browns’ early for years to come. Want to perceive nan full, passionate statement astir Sanders’ future? Listen to nan complete section of Orange and Brown Talk wherever nan hosts break down his capacity against Pittsburgh and what it intends for nan franchise’s direction.

Here’s nan podcast for this week:

Listen and subscribe to nan Orange and Brown Talk podcast connected Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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This article was produced pinch assistance from AI devices and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.

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