Shedeur Sanders had a rookie year full of ups and downs with the Cleveland Browns in 2025. The quarterback began the season as a third-string option, but would go on to claim the starting role in Week 11. However, he’s not guaranteed to return to the role next season.

As the Browns continue to put things together ahead of Todd Monken first, Sanders’ situation was discussed on “The Tony Rizzo Show” on ESPN Cleveland on Monday. Two Cleveland sports analysts, Tony Rizzo and Tony Grossi, weighed in on the future of the quarterback.

Rizzo: What does Shedeur have to do to make them not draft a quarterback next year?

Grossi: I think even if Watson wins the job, and I don’t know how it’s going to go, but I think Shedeur will get enough games added to last year. Seven starts last year, a minimum of seven this year, they’ll be able to make an evaluation.

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Rizzo: But you think he would need a Drake Maye’s Yeah 1 to Year 2 look of transformation to make them not look at a quarterback next year.

Grossi: Yeah. And the record has to be such that getting one of those quarterbacks is going to be difficult.

Rizzo: He’d have to win. Maybe even go to the playoffs for God’s sake, right?

Grossi: At least 9-8.

Shedeur Sanders led the Browns to a 4-3 record in his seven starts last season, throwing for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions. The performance isn’t enough for him to retain the role without any competition next season. Analysts, however, feel he has just one more season to turn things around.

Analyst believes the Browns have little option besides Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns quarterback situation continues to remain uncertain as the offseason gets deeper. However, Earl Da Pearl noted on the “Wake Up” podcast that the team has little option aside from making something work out with Shedeur Sanders next season.

“There is no outside factor that’s coming to save the Cleveland Browns this season at the quarterback position,” Pearl said. “What you better hope for, what you better pray for, is that our new head coach gets the most out of Shedeur Sanders and that we figure out this QB1 situation this year.”

Despite having three quarterbacks under contract at the moment, the Browns have been linked to a host of signal-callers this offseason, especially in the draft. Nonetheless, insiders point towards either Sanders or DeShaun Watson getting the starting role next season.