CLEVELAND, Ohio — Shedeur Sanders’ three-interception game during Sunday’s 31-3 loss to the Bears was by far his worst performance in 4 1/2 appearances, but it didn’t knock him down much in the Browns’ evaluation of him as their starter for 2026.
The Browns are evaluating Sanders, who will make his fifth start of the season Sunday at home against the Bills, over a seven-game span, and aren’t riding the roller coaster week-by-week.
Just like they didn’t draw any conclusions after his 364-yard, four-touchdown game in the 31-29 loss to the Titans two weeks ago, they didn’t overreact to his three interceptions, 51.4 completion percentage on 18 of 35 passing for 177 yards, and 30.3 rating against the Bears.
The Browns have always known they’d have ups and downs with Sanders, their fifth-round pick out of Colorado, and Gabriel, their third-round pick out of Oregon, and that they’d take some steps back after a few steps forward. Such is life with a rookie quarterback.
The good thing for Sanders is that he still made a number of high-end plays even though he struggled — uncharacteristically — with his ball placement throughout the game. Sanders’ accuracy has been his forte, but it’s not there when he’s not on the same page with his receivers and doesn’t hit his back foot and let it rip. Sanders and Jerry Jeudy both stressed the need for more communication this week so they can be in synch on scramble drills and other off-schedule plays, and by all accounts, they had a good week of practice.
It takes time for a quarterback and receiver to develop timing and chemistry, and Sanders still hasn’t had many reps with the ones, having taken his first snaps with them five weeks ago before his first start against the Raiders. He has a natural chemistry with Harold Fannin Jr., but targeted him a team-high 14 times vs. the Bears, with Fannin catching seven for 48 yards and two getting picked off.
Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees rejected the notion that Sanders relies too heavily on Fannin, but there’s no doubt that spreading it around would benefit everyone and keep defenses off balance. Tight end David Njoku is still out with his knee injury this game, but No. 2 receiver Cedric Tillman is back from his concussion for the second straight week, and should play more than the seven snaps he did vs. the Bears. Tillman told cleveland.com this week that he feels ready for more playing time this week and that practice with Sanders went well. At 6-3, 215, Tillman gives Sanders another tall target who can climb over defensive backs and grab the ball.
He’s only caught 2 of 7 targets from Sanders this season for 28 yards, but they’ll look to connect more against the Bills.
Of course, that won’t be easy against Buffalo’s No. 2 pass defense. They’ve allowed only 35 plays of 20 yards or more to tie for sixth in the NFL, and have allowed only one pass of 40 yards or more for fewest in the NFL. The Bills and their savvy defenders will disguise coverages like the Bears did and try to confuse Sanders, but he’ll be more ready for it this time.
The high-level passes were the 42- and 47-yarders to Isaiah Bond, and the 24-yard would-be TD pass to Jeudy that was snatched out of his hands at the goal line for the second of three picks.
What the Browns are looking for from Sanders this game
The Browns will be looking for a return to excellent ball placement and accuracy from Sanders, who’s 48th in the NFL with a 52.2 completion percentage. They’re hoping to see improved footwork, better efficiency on the non-explosive plays, and fewer interceptions. The Bills are tied for 12th in the NFL with 11 interceptions, have forced 12 fumbles, including five by Joey Bosa. They’ve recovered 7.
But the Browns don’t want Sanders thinking too much and afraid to throw the deep ball. They love his accuracy on the explosives, and hope for more big plays to Bond and others. They’ll also look for continued elusiveness, a lack of retreating under pressure, and the absence of pressing if the Browns fall behind, which could happen against a team that’s No. 3 in the NFL with 29.3 points per game.
The key for Sanders (1-3) is growth more so than final results at this point, and he’s got three more games to prove to the Browns that they don’t need to draft a QB with one or both of their first round picks.
The determining factors for Sanders to have a chance to be the ’26 starter
By the end of Sanders’ seven starts, the Browns won’t be entirely sure if he can be their quarterback of the future. But it’s enough of a sample size to take a leap of faith if he continues to display quality starter potential.
The other key factors involved in the decision will be where the Browns land with their first pick in the draft — they’re currently at No. 4 — and which teams above them need a quarterback, if any.
The next big data point is which underclassmen declare for the NFL Draft, with the deadline being Jan. 14, or Jan. 23 for players in the National Championship game. At this point, it appears that at least three of the top quarterbacks will come out in Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Oregon’s Dante Moore and Alabama’s Ty Simpson. If all three come out, the Browns would likely have a good chance at landing one of them, even if they have to use their second first-round pick from the Jaguars trade, currently No. 27, to trade up.
Moore, by the way, was born in East Cleveland and grew up in nearby Elyria, Ohio before moving to Detroit and playing high school ball there.
At this point, it’s incumbent upon Sanders to prevent the Browns from drafting one of those QBs, and he still has a chance to pull it off. If the Browns don’t like one of them better, they can focus on offensive linemen and receiver with some of their top picks. It might also depend, in part, on if they keep Kevin Stefanski, and who he likes as his QB1.
Deshaun Watson’s chances of being added to the 53-man roster
The Browns have until Tuesday to activate Deshaun Watson to the 53-man roster, when his 21-day practice window closes.
At this point, the Browns are leaning towards letting the practice window expire, and keeping him on reserve/physically unable to perform for the remainder of the season. But that decision hasn’t been finalized, and Watson might have some say in the matter. There has been some thought to activating him so he can keep practicing with the team, but he might be better served continuing his rehab inside the facility, where he can work on specific things each day.
The good thing for the Browns and for Watson is that he’s looked great in practice, belying the fact that he’s undergone three surgeries since November of 2023 to repair his fractured shoulder and ruptured Achilles twice.
From what the Browns saw, Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler, is still in play to serve as their starting “bridge” quarterback at the beginning of next season in the event Sanders or a rookie isn’t ready. In fact, some have viewed Watson as the most talented QB on the field over these past three weeks. Regardless, he’ll be on the team in 2026, even if he’s the No. 2 or No. 3.
Kevin Stefanski’s future with the Browns and the Bill Belichick report
The Browns remain mum on Stefanski’s future with the team, and he’s not worrying about it, as he stated on Monday. The Browns will let the season play out and go from there.
But they’re not interested in talking to former Browns coach Bill Belichick, a league source said. Josina Anderson reported this week, “my understanding is Belichick has upper-level personnel still fond of him in Atlanta, New York, Cleveland,” and said two teams have expressed interest in talking to him at least on exploratory basis.
The Browns are not one of those teams, the source said.
Former Colts and Chargers, and Raiders GM Tom Telesco visits the Browns
Former NFL general manager and personnel executive Tom Telesco, a graduate of John Carroll University on Cleveland’s east side and former wide receiver there from 1991-94, visited the Browns facility to talk to Berry and others.
Telesco, who gave Berry his first job as an NFL scout with the Colts in 2009, is currently out of football after being let go by the Raiders in January. He’s currently doing some radio for Sirius XM and coaching his high school sons in sports.
Telesco, part of the Colts’ wildly successful run with Peyton Manning from 1998-2011, wasn’t here interviewing for a job, but just visiting with his friends in the building, including former John Carroll teammate Chris Polian, the Browns’ advisor to Berry.
Former chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta left the Browns last month to take over the Colorado Rockies, but it remains to be seen if the Browns will replace him, and Telesco wasn’t talking to the Browns about such a position.
Telesco, 53, is one of a number of executives from the NFL or other leagues that Berry has invited in to visit with the team over the years, including John Carroll alum Dave Ziegler, current assistant GM of the Titans; NBA exec Monte McNair; and Chaim Bloom, president of baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals.
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