After starting his first NFL game, Shedeur Sanders will be under center on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. The rookie quarterback secured his first career win in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders, improving the Browns’ record to 3-8.
Sanders finished 11 of 20 for 209 yards and one touchdown with one interception and one sack. While his immediate future is sealed, Sanders could endure more difficult times in 2026.
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MORE: Browns QB Shedeur Sanders sets priorities straight before Raiders game
In the wake of Sanders’ first start, NFL insider Albert Breer speculated on the future at quarterback for the Browns. Breer suggested that the starting quarterback for 2026 might not be on the roster at this moment. Additionally, he called Sanders starting next year a “longshot.”
“This morning, the Browns know a little more than they did a couple of days ago. But they still have a far less complete picture of what they have in Sanders than they do with Dillon Gabriel, who’s already started six games,” Breer wrote. “So if I were them, now that I have a better idea of what it looks like for the other 10 guys in the huddle with Sanders out there, I’d be intrigued enough to want to see more.
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“Maybe it’ll last just another week. Maybe it’ll go for another six. Either way, the idea that Sanders will be the Browns’ starter in 2026 remains a longshot. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be trying to figure out where he fits in that mix—and the best way to do that is to give him a chance to play.”
The Browns struggled to get things going with Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel as starters. Sanders showed something different on Sunday, against a weakened Raiders team. The 49ers will pose a more difficult test, but with another week of preparation under his belt, he could look more comfortable.
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Sanders waited 11 weeks to set foot on an NFL field and 12 to get his first start. The former Colorado Buffaloes star acknowledged himself as the answer to the Browns’ questions. Now, it’s time to prove it.
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