The Cleveland Browns’ season, just like their quarterback conundrum, has spun out of control. Drafting two rookie quarterbacks, flipping Kenny Pickett to LA, and trading Joe Flacco to Cincinnati haven’t gotten them anywhere. But now, analysts believe parting ways with Shedeur Sanders for a veteran quarterback with untapped potential might be a good bet for 2026 relevance.

One of the hottest commodities for them could be Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox predicts the Browns could ship off a ‘26 third-round pick and a ‘27 second-round pick packaged with Shedeur Sanders to land Murray.

“The Browns are facing a tricky cap situation because Deshaun Watson is still on the books. However, they’re projected to have $18.2 million in cap space next year,” writes Knox. “Creating the space to absorb Murray’s $22.8 million base salary wouldn’t be nearly as difficult as, say, trying to sign [Daniel] Jones on the open market.”

On paper, the move makes sense. If the Browns win a few more games by chance, they’d knock themselves out of a top 2026 Draft pick. If the ‘26 QB class offers slim pickings, the Browns might not get a top prospect they’d want. In that case, it’s another year of developing a rookie quarterback if they sign one. But a trade for Kyler Murray’s experience could become a lifeline.

Murray’s massive $230.5 million extension was a surefire vote of confidence in him from the Cardinals. But this season’s battles placed him on the IR with a foot injury, while Jacoby Brissett took over the reins as the starting quarterback. They seem happy with how Brissett has sparked the offense with his pocket presence. If the injury concerns linger for Murray, the Cardinals could decide to move on from Murray and bring in Shedeur as a developing prospect behind Brissett.

Sanders is more than just a throw-in; he was ranked the 23rd best prospect by Bleacher Report’s scouting. In the right system, with a solid offensive line and weapons, he could thrive. In Cleveland, Sanders remains a wildcard, untested but highly rated. But a move to Arizona could give him the chance he’s been waiting for.

For the Browns, there’s an undeniable risk Murray won’t fix things. He hasn’t won a playoff game and has struggled with injuries and turnovers. But there was a time he made a splash in the MVP conversation. And the Browns could revitalize that potential and create with Murray what they failed to do with Baker Mayfield.

The other thing that makes this trade plausible is the silence from Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski regarding Shedeur. For all intents and purposes, it looks like the coach has given up on Sanders already.

End of the line for Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland?

Let’s talk Week 10 for a bit. For a while against the New York Jets, the Browns looked a little different. They held New York to a 3-11 3rd down efficiency, stopped them from having a single red zone conversion, and saw them gain just 169 yards. And yet, in a classic Browns fashion, they sputtered in the second half, letting the Jets carve out 10 points in the fourth quarter to walk away with a win.

Even with a new play-calling leadership, Dillon Gabriel went 17-of-32 for 167 yards, scored two touchdowns, and got sacked 6 times. His 53.1% completion rate in Week 10 was the lowest he’s produced all season. Gabriel hasn’t looked like a franchise QB. Testing the waters with Shedeur Sanders might be a good idea since their season isn’t going anywhere. But Kevin Stefanski isn’t biting.

“We’re gonna stick with Dillon,” Stefanski said after the Week 10 upset. “Obviously this is a young player; we have to play better as an offense.”

So it looks like the Browns are letting Gabriel keep the keys to the offense for the season. Coach Stefanski admits the offense needs a shake-up, but it doesn’t look like that’s coming from Shedeur Sanders.

Draft busts, mystery rookies, big-name trades, and coaching indecision all collide in Cleveland’s narrative. Now, an offseason trade for Kyler Murray could bring them the stability they need. And Shedeur could finally go to a team where he has a shot under center. For now, we can only wait for this season to unfold, to find out what the future holds for Sanders beyond.