Browns Wide Receiver Makes Bold Shedeur Sanders Statement

The Cleveland Browns are preparing backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders to start Sunday against the New Orleans Saints while starter Deshaun Watson remains in the concussion protocol.

Wide receiver KC Concepcion said the offense is working to build Sanders’ readiness for the game.

“It was unfortunate what happened to Deshaun, but we’re going to pick up Shedeur’s confidence, and get him ready for Sunday,” Concepcion said.

The Browns have not formally named a starter for Week 9. Watson’s status remains uncertain after he reported concussion symptoms Tuesday morning.

Watson took a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first quarter of Sunday’s 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was evaluated, cleared by an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant and returned to the game. Postgame and Monday evaluations showed no symptoms, but he informed the medical staff of symptoms that began Monday night and entered the protocol immediately.

The Browns enter the matchup at 5-3 and sit third in the AFC North. They trail the 6-2 Steelers by one game and the 5-2 Bengals by percentage points in a tight division race.

Sunday’s game is set for 1 p.m. ET at Caesars Superdome against a 2-5 Saints team. A win would keep Cleveland firmly in the playoff picture after eight weeks.

Sanders has seen minimal action this season. He has completed all three of his pass attempts for 2 yards across limited snaps in two games.

Watson has started all eight games and played better than many expected in his return from a major injury. He has completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 1,806 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.

Sanders started seven games as a rookie in 2025 and finished with a 3-4 record. He completed 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions with a 68.1 passer rating.

The limited sample this year leaves the Browns hoping Sanders has made progress since those rookie starts. Cleveland has playoff aspirations and needs consistent quarterback play to stay in contention.

Concepcion, a rookie first-round pick, has worked with Sanders during training camp and expressed confidence in the preparation process. The offense has focused on reestablishing timing and rhythm with the second-year quarterback.

Coach Todd Monken has kept Sanders as the primary backup throughout the season. That depth chart position places him in line for the start if Watson cannot clear the protocol by Saturday.

Watson must complete the required steps of the concussion protocol to return this week. The timeline is tight given the delayed onset of symptoms.

Cleveland’s offense ranked near the bottom of the league in scoring the previous two seasons. The current group has shown improvement under Watson, and any change at quarterback carries risk in a tight standings race.

The Browns will continue monitoring Watson’s progress through the week while giving Sanders the bulk of the starter’s repetitions in practice. Sunday’s outcome could shape the rest of their playoff push.