Reporter reveals Browns' plan for Shedeur Sanders amid trade rumors

On Monday, Cleveland Browns reporter Daryl Ruiter of Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan revealed that the Browns are "not looking to trade" backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Ruiter previously suggested that Cleveland could move on from Sanders and name second-year pro Dillon Gabriel as the primary backup for starter Deshaun Watson. 

During a Tuesday appearance on 92.3 The Fan, Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN shared what he has heard about the team's plan regarding Sanders' future ahead of the trade deadline, which will arrive on Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET.

Browns still playing "the long game" with Shedeur Sanders?

"The plan all along is to play the long game," Oyefusi said about the Browns and Sanders, per Cole Shelton of Heavy. "They are pleased with what he did in the spring and summer and making it a competition. The plan is to continue working with him behind the scenes." 

Oyefusi was referencing how Sanders competed with Watson for the Cleveland QB1 gig until first-year Browns head coach Todd Monken somewhat controversially named Watson the team's Week 1 starter in August. While Monken's decision looked questionable following Cleveland's 34-10 Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13, Watson later played well across three consecutive victories. 

That said, Watson has a concerning injury history, and multiple starting quarterbacks have gone down with significant setbacks since Week 1. Thus, it would make sense that Monken would want to hold onto his preferred QB2 as long as the Browns are legitimate contenders to compete for at least a playoff berth. 

Sounds like the Browns haven't given up on Shedeur Sanders

Oyefusi added that there is a "hope" among people within the Browns that Sanders would be able to "go out there and execute the offense" if Watson were to become unavailable for any reason. Such an update could lead one to believe that Monken still views Sanders and not Gabriel as the better overall option to serve as Watson's primary backup for the foreseeable future. 

Watson will start for the 3-1 Browns when they play at the 1-3 New York Jets on Oct. 11. As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Browns as 2.5-point road underdogs against the Jets.