Browns may have already made Shedeur Sanders decision for 2026

While the Cleveland Browns confirmed on Monday that they had relieved head coach Kevin Stefanski of his duties, they also announced that general manager Andrew Berry will keep his job and lead the process "to find an outstanding new head coach and leader of our football team."

Berry previously insisted that he and not owner Jimmy Haslam was responsible for the Browns acquiring quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. It sounds like Cleveland's next head coach will be tasked with helping Sanders improve ahead of the 2026 season.

Is Shedeur Sanders the Browns' QB1 for start of training camp? 

According to NFL insider Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, "sources say the Browns are preparing for Sanders to be their starter next season, hoping to build around the quarterback and get better results in Year 2." Jones added that "sources have said that a coach with options may not have the Browns high on his list," perhaps because such a coach "will need to believe in Sanders." 

Sanders began the summer buried on the Cleveland depth chart, but he ultimately went 3-4 across seven starts. As Jones pointed out, however, the stats show that Sanders was arguably the worst starting signal-caller in the NFL. 

Per Pro Football Reference, Sanders' 19.0 adjusted QBR, 68.1 passer rating and 56.6 percent completion percentage had him ranked last in the league among qualified players. In total, he passed for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 

Who will coach Shedeur Sanders later this year? 

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees are among the offensive-minded candidates mentioned as possible replacements for Stefanski. As of Monday morning, it was unclear if the Dolphins would part ways with McDaniel. 

Also on Monday morning, Sanders spoke with reporters about his reaction to the Browns dismissing Stefanski. Sanders also reflected on what he learned during his debut pro season and touched upon whether or not he did enough to remain atop Cleveland's depth chart through the start of training camp.