Forget the noise about Shedeur Sanders being on the trade block, because if NFL insider Jonathan Jones is right, the Cleveland Browns aren’t letting him go anywhere before the trade deadline. Despite all the chatter and speculation, Jones, from The Athletic, would be “more surprised” if the Browns dealt Sanders, even with the team already having four quarterbacks on their roster.
The Agent Move That Sparked a Firestorm
It’s easy to see why everyone started talking trade. The Browns are stacked at quarterback, with Deshaun Watson playing well through the first five weeks and Dillon Gabriel still on injured reserve, but set to return to make it a quartet. So, yeah, someone could definitely be on the move, and Gabriel and Sanders felt like the obvious choices. Then, Sanders went and hired a new agent, Adie von Gontard of CEO Young Money APAA Sports. This move set off alarm bells for fans and analysts alike, and honestly, you can’t blame them. Marvin Harrison Jr. was traded from the Cardinals to the Texans not long after he made a similar agent change, so the speculation around Sanders felt like a logical next step.
Why Cleveland Is Holding Tight to Their Guy
But Jones has been talking to “multiple league and team sources,” and the consensus? Sanders ain’t going anywhere. It boils down to a few key reasons. First off, Sanders is only in his second year. Harrison Jr., on the other hand, was in his third year and getting close to free agency, needing that fifth-year option picked up. Big difference. Then there’s Browns GM Berry, who apparently has a “great affection for Sanders.” When a general manager loves his player, you know it’s going to take a king’s ransom to pry him away.
And that’s the kicker: teams just aren’t offering anything close to that. Jones suggests the Browns would be lucky to get a fifth-round pick for Sanders, if even that. Why trade a young quarterback with clear upside for so little? Especially when you’ve got Dillon Gabriel, the left-handed third-rounder, who seems to be the logical trade piece this season if they truly need to clear space. Gabriel has less upside than Sanders, making him the more expendable player, not Sanders, Watson, or rookie Taylen Green.
So, while you can never 100% rule out a trade in the NFL, all signs point to Shedeur Sanders staying put with the Browns for the rest of the season as we head into Week 6. Cleveland seems to know exactly what they have in him, and they’re not letting go without a fight.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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