Trade chatter is beginning to build around Shedeur Sanders and his future with the Cleveland Browns coming out of Week 4. With Deshaun Watson established as the starting quarterback, Sanders has emerged as a possible trade candidate.

Cleveland has been one of the NFL’s biggest surprises through the first four weeks of the season. The Browns have opened with a 3-1 record while receiving acceptable quarterback play from Watson.

Watson and Sanders competed for the starting job entering the season. Watson won that competition, leaving Sanders to serve as Cleveland’s backup quarterback.

That arrangement has brought Sanders’ longer term place in the Browns’ quarterback room into question. He does not appear to be part of the team’s plans at the position beyond this season, and he is not expected to become the starter. A trade could therefore become an option if Cleveland receives the right opportunity.

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ESPN’s Dan Graziano identified Sanders as a possible trade candidate for Cleveland. Graziano said, “Shedeur Sanders could be interesting to teams looking for a developmental QB who needs a change of scenery.”

Sanders has appeared in only one game this season, entering for a single play. His limited involvement has come while Watson has remained settled in the starting position for the Browns.

Last season, Sanders started seven games for Cleveland and posted a 3-4 record as a starter. He finished with 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The Browns selected Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Cleveland likely would not receive more than a Day 3 pick in return if the team decided to trade him.

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Even so, dealing Sanders could allow the Browns to recoup up to the pick they used to select him, at most. The potential return is only one part of what moving the quarterback could accomplish for Cleveland.

A Sanders trade would also create a path for rookie quarterback Taylen Green to become Watson’s backup. That change would affect how Cleveland could use Green during games.

The Browns could deploy Green in running packages on game days if he moved into the backup role. Under the current setup, Green is the third quarterback on the roster and serves as the emergency quarterback.

The emergency quarterback can enter the game only if the backup cannot. As long as Sanders remains Watson’s backup, Green is kept off the field despite the possibility of being used in those running packages.

The next month is expected to provide more information about Sanders’ status with the Browns. Whether he remains with Cleveland for the entire season will depend largely on how Watson performs during that stretch.

If Watson continues to provide steady play, the argument for Cleveland to move Sanders would become stronger. For now, Sanders remains the backup, Green remains the emergency quarterback and Graziano has placed Sanders among the Browns’ possible trade candidates.

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