Is Shedeur Sanders the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback of the future? That’s the question that the team hopes to answer this season. One of the most polarizing quarterback prospects in recent memory, the Colorado product took over as the team’s primary quarterback midway through the 2025 season.
There’s a lot of discourse about Sanders and whether he’s an NFL-level quarterback. While he’s still a pretty raw prospect, new Browns head coach Todd Monken is encouraged about one trait of the quarterback.
“I think you see playmaking ability,” Monken said in a recent interview, per Daniel Oyefusi. “I think you see a player that is confident in his skillset. So when you see that playmaking ability and inner confidence, you say, ‘Okay, there’s something to work with there.’”
Indeed, Sanders’ best ability so far in his career is his ability to extend plays. Even early in his NFL career, the Browns quarterback has many moments where he’s made something out of nothing. He’s got the elusiveness to evade pass rushers and the quickness in the open field to generate positive plays. He even led a game-winning drive in one of his games.
However, there’s still a lot of things that need to be worked on. Sanders’ pocket presence, in particular, stands out as his worst trait. The Browns quarterback often took a lot of sacks, holding on to the ball for a second longer. His struggles in processing inside the pocket may prove to be detrimental, as it’s often the telltale sign of whether a quarterback is cut out to be a starter in the league. His mechanics are also a cause for concern.
The good news for Sanders is that all of these issues can be overcome over time. In the same interview, Monken noted that the onus falls on the Browns’ coaching staff to help Sanders develop into the best quarterback he can be. Sanders already has the confidence to be an elite quarterback, which gives fans hope that he can use that confidence to grow into the star that he believes he can be.
Is Shedeur Sanders the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback of the future? That’s the question that the team hopes to answer this season. One of the most polarizing quarterback prospects in recent memory, the Colorado product took over as the team’s primary quarterback midway through the 2025 season.
