Deshaun Watson's surprising emergence as a reasonable starting quarterback for the Browns has not been good news for Sheduer Sanders. The No. 2 signal-caller on Cleveland's roster now seems to be taking action to find himself a new opportunity to become a starter.
Sanders entered the NFL without an agent, but elected to change course this week. His decision to hire Young Money APAA Sports to represent him moving forward has raised eyebrows around the NFL.
Shedeur Sanders hiring an agent paves way for Browns trade
Marvin Harrison Jr.'s move to hire an agent earlier this season ultimately greased the wheels for him to find a way to a new start with the Houston Texans. Plenty of league observers believe the same outcome is now a possibility for Sanders. The Browns have not shown any inclination to move the young quarterback yet, but that stance could easily shift if Sanders starts to make noise about being unhappy with his status with the franchise.
No transaction seems imminent at the moment, but Sanders' decision to hire an agent does increase the possibility of a trade in the coming weeks. The real question for the Browns is whether or not they'll receive an offer big enough to tempt them to move their backup quarterback.
Sanders has real value to the Browns as their backup. Watson's injury record since arriving in Cleveland is lengthy. The chances of him making it through the regular season without missing action are not ideal for a Browns team that wants to make a playoff push.
That does not mean Sanders is untouchable. The Browns spent a sixth-round pick on Taylen Green in last year's draft to supplement their quarterback depth. Green's presence on the roster gives Cleveland the flexibility to offload Watson if they receive a suitable trade offer.
Worth noting that Marvin Harrison Jr. hired a pair of agents last month to seek and facilitate a trade. I don’t think Shedeur hiring an agent now that he’s stuck behind Deshaun Watson is a coincidence. https://t.co/Dqw91n1UTa
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) October 14, 2026
Sanders' lack of elite physical tools will limit the interest Cleveland can expect to receive on the trade market. That, coupled with his spotty play in the NFL raises real questions about whether he can ever emerge as a quality starter. The more likely path forward for Sanders is to establish himself as one of the better backups in the league.
Teams will not be tempted to blow the Browns away with trade offers for a quarterback who cannot turn into a long-term starter. The value of backups around the league is on the rise, but teams are still hesitant to part with massive amounts of draft capital to soliidify the No. 2 spot on their depth charts.
The best the Browns can hope for is to field a call from a team that views Sanders as a spot starter after suffering a meaningful quarterback injury. That sort of desperation might see a team offer a modest amount of draft capital in exchange for Sanders. Cleveland should be happy if they can recoup a fifth-rounder in exchange for a player with such limited upside.
That might not be a large enough return to tempt the Browns into a trade, but it's a situation Cleveland fans should monitor in the coming weeks. The relationship between Sanders and his team could increase the possibility of a trade in short order.
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