NFL Analyst Makes Bold Prediction For Cleveland Browns' Shedeur Sanders

“Shedeur Sanders will be the starting quarterback for the Browns entering the season,” Foxworth said on ESPN’s Get Up. “I think they want to know what they have in either Shedeur or Gabriel before the season is over because there’s a chance they’ll be at the top of a good quarterback draft again next year. I think they’ll move quickly to get those guys on the field to see what kind of players they will be.”

Cleveland is keeping their quarterback competition open with a long summer of practices ahead. With giving each quarterback a fair shot, Sanders has just as much of a chance to start week one as any quarterback. 

In 2024, with Colorado Sanders passed for 4,134 yards and 32 touchdowns. He threw just 10 interceptions and finished the season with a 74.0 passer rating. If given the opportunity and with enough reps, Sanders could be the starter in Week 1.

The belief around the league is that the 2026 draft class is going to be impressive for quarterbacks. If the Browns end up with an early draft pick and do not see what they have in Sanders or Gabriel, they could be stuck in a tough spot next year.

The Browns have five quarterbacks on the roster, though veteran Deshaun Watson is recovering from an Achilles injury, and may not see the field in 2025. The current projection has veteran quarterback Joe Flacco beginning the season as the starter. Flacco played for the Browns in 2023, bringing the team to playoffs and is a Super Bowl winning quarterback. His age is a concern though, and the team could look to use a younger quarterback.

The other player to watch for is quarterback Kenny Pickett, whom Cleveland traded for at the start of free agency. Pickett is a former first-round draft pick, though his career has not taken off. After spending a season sitting behind quarterback Jalen Hurts on the Eagles for the team’s Super Bowl run, the Browns will give him a fair shot to start.

The Cleveland Browns’ OTAs will take place on May 27-29 and June 3-5 and will be followed by the mandatory veteran minicamp on June 10-12. Pickett and Gabriel are expected to get No. 1 and No. 2 reps when OTAs begin, but Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said during the rookie minicamp not to pay too close attention to who gets more reps. The team should give each player a fair shot to ensure they have the quarterback of the future on the team.

There are still several months to go until the 2025 season and Foxworth is not the only former NFL player who believes Sanders will start. ESPN’s Louis Reddick also believes Sanders will be the Week 1 starter for the Browns.

Even if Sanders does not get the nod early in the season, it would not be a surprise if he does start at some point in the season. The Browns have started nine quarterbacks in two years, and between the chance of injuries and Cleveland not being afraid to make a switch, Sanders will likely start in at least one game in 2025.