NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
If Shedeur Sanders never gets on the field this season, that doesn’t mean he won’t be a hot commodity this offseason. With teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and others possibly in need of a QB, Sanders could find himself in a new city.
With Kevin Stefanski sticking with Dillon Gabriel, that places Sanders and the Browns in a win/win situation. The Browns may elect to try their hand at another QB in the 2026 Draft, and if they do, that’s still a crowded QB room. Someone has to go. One of the teams mentioned above should make a call to the Browns’ front office and see what the asking price is.
It’s a win for the Browns as they will gain more draft capital to address other areas of concern on their roster. It’s a win for Shedeur Sanders as he gets another fresh start, where playing time will surely come.
Of all the teams to keep an eye on, the two main ones should be the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets. The Jets are in shambles, and by their trade deadline deals, they are in rebuild mode, well, sort of. The defense is getting an overhaul, but the offseason is still Intact. The Justin Fields experiment did not work out, and behind him is journeyman Tyrod Taylor. Those days are over for him. The Jets must find a long-term solution to the position and go from there.
Pairing Sanders with Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson seems like a no-brainer. All 3 are young enough to forge a Big 3 for years to come in NYC, much like their MetLife Stadium roommates are doing with Cam Skattebo, Jaxson Dart, and Malik Nabers. Also, they need a player they can market, and Sanders is a walking advertisement and has the swagger to pull it off in NYC.
The other team is the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers is on his last leg in the NFL, and it’s time for Mike Tomlin to find a new leader. While many believed that the Steelers would select Sanders in the Draft, they passed over him multiple times. Now they have a chance to get a do-over.
A trade will cost them, hopefully, just a late-round pick unless the Browns try to get greedy. Not just because they are in the division, but because they know what they have in their possession. If the Steelers can pull off the trade, Sanders could be the answer they’ve been looking for since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger.
With DK Metcalf on board and a slew of TEs who can catch and block, coupled with their ability to run the ball, the Steelers could set themselves up for a future run. They just need someone for Rodgers to pass the torch to. Sanders fits, and they wouldn’t have to use any 1st-3rd round draft picks to acquire him.
At the end of the day, this all hinges on the success of Dillon. But this is also the Browns that we’re talking about. Who knows what they will do? With Gabriel at the helm, Sanders appears to be a clipboard holder. Dillon could turn out to be their guy; either way, Sanders appears to have no future in Cleveland.
The Steelers and the Jets are two logical choices, and so are the Raiders and the Saints. The only issue that may arise is that Shedeur Sanders is still a mystery to NFL Teams. He just hasn’t been on the field enough for them to evaluate whether or not he can make it in the league.
Moving him makes sense for a few reasons. If Stefanski is not going to play him, then he must be willing to deal with the nonsense that comes with it. More questions from the media and fans asking if Sanders will play or not. And then having another young QB on the roster looking over their shoulder, trying to not only fight off the defense but the pressure of playing ahead of Sanders.
While 2025 has not gone as Sanders would have liked, the fact is, 2026 could be a better season. Still on a rookie deal, a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New York Jets should make a call to see where the Cleveland Browns stand on Shedeur Sanders.
