Shedeur Sanders' trade value misses what really matters for the Browns

Dawg Pound Daily · Jul 22, 2026 15:00 · 3 min read

Shedeur Sanders' trade value misses what really matters for the Browns

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders may not win the QB1 job right away, but he's more valuable on the roster than as a trade asset.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Long before he took his first NFL snap, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was already one of the most polarizing figures in football. Fast forward to today, and that's still the case.

Love him or hate him, no one can stop talking about Sanders. That's not always a good thing, but he's done a great job of shutting down the outside noise and putting in the work to earn his stripes in the league.

That's why, even if he doesn't beat Deshaun Watson for the starting quarterback job right away, he might be more valuable for the Browns than some realize. FanSided projected his trade value at a high fifth-round pick, but Sanders can bring much more to the table if he remains in Cleveland.

As Zac Jackson of The Athletic pointed out, Sanders will be given a chance to prove his worth. And given Watson's contract situation, it's hard to believe they'll even consider trading Sanders.

“He’s going to get to play and develop even if he doesn’t initially win the job this summer, but the Browns know Deshaun Watson isn’t their future and that Sanders grabbing (and keeping) the job would open the team’s future options. Sanders had moments — both good and bad — in seven starts as a rookie, and this could be his only real chance to win a starting job. So, improvement must be noticeable and immediate. A big few months await,” Jackson wrote.

The Browns need Shedeur Sanders more than another Day 3 draft pick

Let's assume for a second that Watson turns back the clock and plays well. That's a big if, of course, but having Sanders on the roster should help keep him on his toes, knowing that he might be a bad play away from losing the job.

Sanders has reportedly made significant strides since his rookie season. He's put in extensive work, and Todd Monken will give him a legitimate chance to prove that he's the right guy for the job all through training camp and perhaps even the preseason.

There's no scenario in which trading Sanders for a fifth-round pick helps the Browns. Watson has dealt with multiple serious injuries, and after starting three-plus quarterbacks every season for years, Sanders would be a premium, high-upside insurance policy in a worst-case scenario.

As much as some claim that Sanders would be a big distraction if he doesn't win the starting quarterback job, that wasn't the case last season. Fans and some of the media made some noise, but Sanders was a pro and said and did all the right things when asked about his situation.

Also, Monken isn't Kevin Stefanski. He won't be rattled by the outside noise, and he won't allow anyone to tell him who to play and when to play him.

Trading a second-year quarterback for the sake of it would be poor asset management. Rome wasn't built overnight, and the Browns are doing the right thing by pushing both of their potential starters, as unpopular as it might seem.