Deion Sanders Should Influence Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Career, Trade For Development

Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is the third string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. The Browns lost their week 1 game at home to the Cincinnati Bengals by a final score of 17-16.

The Browns started veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who went 31-of-45 passing for 290 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. ESPN Cleveland sports talk radio host Tony Rizzo has major questions for the Browns with how they are handling Shedeur Sanders' development.

Cleveland Insider Questions Browns

deion sanders shedeur sanders cleveland browns starting quarterback coach prime dillon gabriel joe flacco kevin stefanski nfl — Sep 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

“Is the kid processing? Is he improving? Is he being developed by the Cleveland Browns?” Rizzo said. “If it were me, if I was Deion or I had some sort of influence I’d tell them ‘Trade me. Let me go somewhere where I have a chance to play.’”

Rizzo talked about how the Browns will have two first round picks in the 2026 NFL draft and will more likely than not, could use one of those picks for another quarterback. Then, the Browns current backup quarterback Dillon Gabriel would just be the backup to the incoming rookie. There may not be a spot for Sanders to ever have a chance to move up.

“Dillon Gabriel is going to be their backup and then they are going to find their franchise quarterback no matter what next year, right? Because we all believe that,” Rizzo said jokingly.

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The Case For And Against Deion Sanders Intervening

Should Deion Sanders influence a way to get his son Shedeur traded so he has the opportunity to play? Well, there a two sides to that.

On the one hand, Deion does have a major voice in the football world. He is not shy about speaking his mind wherever he may be. If “Coach Prime” put in the motion that he thinks the Browns should trade Shedeur, it will be a question buzzing around the Browns facility. He also could reach out to NFL connections who might be interested in his son Shedeur.

It would likely lead to Browns coach Kevin Stefanski even receiving questions about it. The Browns could get tired of having to answer these types of questions every day about their third string quarterback and decide it would be better to trade Shedeur to not have to deal with it anymore. Shedeur could then potentially wind up with a team that gives him a better shot to play.

On the flip side of Deion influencing a trade is that it is just not a good look. It could rub a lot of people across the NFL in a bad way, making Shedder’s path to being a starting quarterback one day even more difficult.

It also could have a negative effect on the Colorado Buffaloes team. It is one thing for Deion to speak positively about his son in the NFL, but putting down an organization that some of his current Buffaloes players could end up on is questionable.

Why Browns Should Attempt to Start Both Gabriel and Sanders in 2025

The Browns don’t gain anything this season by having Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel sit. 40-year-old Joe Flacco is not the long-term solution, leaving the two rookies; Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

Cleveland should give both of them a shot to start games this season before they decide what to do with their two first round picks next season.