The buzz around Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders just keeps growing louder. After turning heads throughout OTAs and minicamp, the fifth-round pick out of Colorado has become the most intriguing storyline in Cleveland’s quarterback room. The 23-year-old is still buried behind veterans like Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, plus third-rounder Dillon Gabriel. But Sanders’ poise, arm talent, and quick study habits have already forced the coaching staff to take notice. Some even argue he’s earned the right to compete for the QB2 job when camp opens.

But it looks like it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. While Sanders is making his case on the gridiron, the Browns’ long-term QB plans might already be headed in a very different direction. But more on that later. First, a former Browns CB just dropped an intriguing take on Sanders. And honestly? It’s the kind of prediction that makes you pause mid-scroll. Turns out, Shedeur isn’t just winning over coaches – he’s got Browns legends in his corner too. Hanford Dixon, Cleveland’s iconic former CB, didn’t hold back when talking about the rookie on The Hanford Dixon Show, dropping a mic-worthy prediction: “I think before long, Shedeur is going to show everybody that he is the man.”

Dixon’s not just blowing smoke – when a Browns legend says Shedeur’s  ‘the man,’ it carries weight. But let’s pump the brakes on Week 1 dreams. Because throwing a fifth-round rookie into the fire right out of the gate, on a team that just went 3-14? With an offensive line that let QBs eat dirt 66 times last year? That’s not just risky – it’s borderline irresponsible. Especially when you remember Sanders’ battle scars from Colorado, where he took a beating behind that leaky O-line. And sometimes held the ball too long, trying to make magic happen.

There’s a real chance he earns starts later this season if he keeps balling out in camp. But doing that in week 1 would be an unnecessary risk. That’s how you turn a promising QB into a cautionary tale. The Browns got to be smarter than that.

Now, chances are, all this QB talk might just be a temporary conversation. Because if certain predictions pan out, Cleveland could find itself right back in the QB market next offseason, with a chance to reset the entire franchise.

Kevin Stefanski still searching for long-term QB?

The Browns might have drafted two QBs this year, but don’t mistake that for a long-term plan. Shedeur Sanders – fresh off signing a four-year, $4.6 million deal – has shown flashes. And third-rounder Dillon Gabriel brings intriguing upside. But honestly, Kevin Stefanski and the front office didn’t spend a fifth-round pick on Sanders (or a third on Gabriel) expecting either to be the franchise savior. This is a prove-it room, stocked with veterans like Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for a reason. And if we’re reading between the lines, Cleveland’s real QB solution might not even be in the building yet.

Pro Football Network’s Brentley Weissman already has the Browns pegged as front-runners for the No. 1 pick next spring – and not by accident. This roster has holes, and another rocky season could position Cleveland to reset at QB… again. The name floating in those scenarios? Texas’ Arch Manning, who’s finally getting his shot to start this fall after backing up Quinn Ewers.

The Manning hype isn’t just pedigree; scouts rave about his pro-ready tools, from his pocket poise to his off-script magic. For a Browns team craving stability under center, he’d be the ultimate swing-for-the-fences move. None of this means Sanders or Gabriel can’t surprise people. But Stefanski’s job isn’t to hope for miracles – it’s to win. And if Cleveland’s picking first in 2026, passing on a talent like Manning (or another blue-chip QB) would be malpractice. The Browns didn’t draft Shedeur to bench him; they drafted him to compete. But in the NFL, competition never stops, especially at the QB position.

At the end of the day, Shedeur Sanders’ future in Cleveland isn’t about whether he can be their QB. It’s about whether the Browns will let him. The fifth-round pick has already defied expectations, turning heads in OTAs and earning praise from legends like Hanford Dixon. His $4.6M contract suggests the team sees something worth developing. 

But in a league where patience is thinner than an offensive line’s margin for error, his window to prove himself could close fast.