Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders received mixed reviews after his rookie season in 2025. Despite moments of strong play, Sanders ranked last in The Athletic’s 2026 NFL quarterback tiers list, which evaluated 35 quarterbacks.

Executives and coaches provided critiques of Sanders’ performance. One defensive coordinator expressed confidence in playing against Sanders weekly. An executive noted Sanders’ issues with accuracy at all levels of play and questioned his potential for improvement.

The tier system ranged from Tier 1 for the best quarterbacks to Tier 5 for the worst. After reviewing surveys from 50 insiders, Sanders received one Tier 3 vote but garnered 37 Tier 4 votes and 12 Tier 5 votes. Another coordinator mentioned Sanders’ struggles with timely play and reading coverages, describing him as difficult to tackle yet a beatable opponent.

Currently, Sanders is competing for the starting quarterback position at Browns training camp. He is up against a healthy Deshaun Watson, and Dillon Gabriel, under the new guidance of head coach Todd Monken.

In the 2025 season, Sanders became the starter for the Browns’ final six games, following a successful debut against the Las Vegas Raiders. He threw for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. However, Sanders’ completion rate remained low at 56.6%.

Monken’s offensive expertise may aid Sanders’ growth. A supporter mentioned Monken’s potential to provide a fresh start for Sanders, similar to Ben Johnson’s impact in Chicago. They emphasized the importance of Sanders committing to his role, mastering the playbook, and efficiently managing the offense.

Monken has stated there will be an open competition for the QB1 spot, with Sanders, Watson, and Gabriel all in the mix. This competition is taking place as the team prepares for their first preseason game against the Bears on August 15.

Watson also made the quarterback list, ranking 31st after missing the previous season due to an Achilles injury from 2024.