ESPN analyst says Shedeur Sanders should be Cleveland Browns starter by Week 9

Shedeur Sanders hasn’t taken a preseason snap yet, but the buzz around the former Colorado quarterback is growing louder.

With full-squad training camp underway in Berea, the Cleveland Browns’ fifth-round draft pick is experiencing both sides of the pendulum. Cleveland radio hosts aren't giving him much of a chance, while ESPN thinks he needs to start as soon as possible.

ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum, a former general manager for the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, didn’t hold back this morning on Get Up.

“Start him sooner,” Tannenbaum said. “You have two first-round picks next year—you need to know what you have in Shedeur Sanders. He is a better prospect than Dillon Gabriel. He is a very talented QB. Trade Pickett.”

Tannenbaum isn’t alone.

Former Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins added that fan pressure could eventually play a role in Cleveland’s quarterback decision.

“The voice from the fans is going to get louder as the season goes on,” Hawkins said.

Cleveland enters camp with the most crowded quarterback room in the NFL. And Hawkins is right, Browns fans are not going to be calling for Dillon Gabriel.

Furthermore, if Sanders continues connecting with teammates the way he has early on, those voices could be impossible to ignore.

The most surprising development out of camp has been Sanders’ growing chemistry with undrafted wide receiver Luke Floriea. A former Kent State receiver, Floriea went largely unnoticed during the draft—but that’s changing quickly.

The two connected on a viral touchdown in minicamp and were seen working together again this past weekend.

Floriea, a former Kent State receiver, played under Sean Lewis—who also coached Sanders at Colorado in 2023. That familiarity is showing up on the field.

“I just wanted to be consistent,” Floriea told News 5 Cleveland during minicamp. “Learn the playbook, which everyone says is the hardest part. And just come in and be a guy that the quarterbacks can rely on.”

That trust is clearly building. And for Shedeur, having a familiar target who can get open underneath is going to be a valuable asset in preseason games.

Cleveland opens the preseason on Aug. 8 against the Carolina Panthers. Two more games follow against the Philadelphia Eagles (Aug. 16) and Los Angeles Rams (Aug. 23).

If Sanders plays well in those games—and continues building chemistry with players like Floriea—he could put real pressure on the Browns’ coaching staff to consider starting him much faster than expected.

The voices from ESPN might just be the start.

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