Shedeur Sanders is clearly aware of the narratives surrounding him right now, with some viewing him as a backup quarterback while others have already pushed him down the depth chart as a third-stringer. Amid all the outside noise, Sanders shared a cryptic message earlier this week addressing public opinions. But after Bleacher Report framed the post as Sanders taking a shot at critics, the quarterback responded by offering his side of the story.

“You able to see the lies clearly, I only give my perspective publicly to help others that may struggle with things that this society thrives off of,” Sanders wrote in his Instagram story while sharing the post from Bleacher Report.

The development gained momentum a day after the second-year quarterback initially shared his thoughts on outside opinions through another Instagram post. He wrote:

“Think about a person’s opinion… in the grand scheme of life, it means nothing. We often give opinions power when we react to them and make them seem valuable. Why expect anything different from a modern culture that doesn’t keep GOD at the forefront of daily actions? Those who move through life with foul intentions will eventually face the consequences of their ways. The people who truly align with you will understand this perspective. In the end, as long as you’re walking in your purpose, GOD should be the only one you see to please.”

The timing of Sanders’ message stood out because the uncertainty around his role heading into the 2026 season continues to grow. The Cleveland Browns currently have a crowded quarterback room featuring Deshaun Watson, Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and rookie Taylen Green. Earlier this week, head coach Todd Monken openly admitted that Green will likely receive very limited reps once OTAs begin.

That leaves Cleveland heading toward a quarterback competition centered around Watson, Sanders, and Gabriel. Earlier in the offseason, many expected Sanders to seriously challenge for the starting role after he threw for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns while leading the Browns to a 3-4 record during his rookie campaign.

But once the Browns opened voluntary minicamp last month, the narrative quickly shifted. Reports surfaced suggesting Watson impressed the coaching staff while fitting naturally into Monken’s offensive system, leading many to believe he had established a clear edge over Sanders in the race for QB1.

And while those reports mostly framed Sanders as the likely backup, Tony Grossi added another layer to the conversation by suggesting Gabriel could ultimately be viewed as the better fit for the QB2 role instead. Grossi said:

“Gabriel’s a guy who’ll just keep quiet. He’ll study; he’ll stay up on the game plan, he’ll support the starter in any way he can. He’ll run the scout team, and if needed, he’ll play. That’s what you want out of a backup quarterback…Shedeur’s shadow is so huge. I think it’s one of the reasons teams shied away from him in the draft. If you didn’t like him as the starter, you did not consider him as a backup.”

Earlier this offseason, Monken also made it clear that he wants the Browns to settle the starting quarterback situation before training camp begins. Right now, Watson appears to be the projected starter, while the outside noise continues labeling Shedeur Sanders as either the backup or even a third-string quarterback.

Whether the second-year signal-caller can change that narrative and eventually win the QB1 role is something that will unfold over the course of the offseason program.

Chatter around Deshaun Watson as the QB1 is getting louder

Just like Kevin Stefanski before him, Todd Monken is also heading into a quarterback battle during his first year as head coach of the Browns. The difference this time is that Monken has openly stated that whoever performs best throughout the offseason program will earn the QB1 job. Even so, early speculation still points toward Deshaun Watson emerging as the projected starter, with Shedeur Sanders potentially settling into the backup role.

“If you believe in Shedeur and you think there is a path to him becoming your franchise quarterback, I understand obviously taking him,” ESPN’s Jake Trotter said. “But if you don’t feel that way, and you do take him still, and now you create this training camp circus where everybody is focused on the backup quarterback, which was the case in August last year. And the other part of it that I don’t understand is we’re hearing all this about Deshaun Watson’s gonna start, right? Whether you agree with it or not, it’s coming from somewhere.”

Cleveland found itself in a similar situation last year when Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders all competed for the starting job. At the time, though, it always felt likely that Stefanski would eventually hand the offense over to Flacco.

And that is exactly how things played out. Pickett was phased out, Flacco won the QB1 role, Gabriel became the backup, and Sanders entered the season as the third-string quarterback.

Monken has tried to present a different tone this offseason. But at the same time, there is still a growing feeling that Cleveland may already know who it wants as QB1. Right now, Watson appears to be first in line.

So, while the offseason initially began with optimism surrounding Shedeur Sanders potentially earning the starting job, the conversation now seems to be shifting toward whether he can even firmly secure the backup role heading into the 2026 season.