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The Cleveland Browns are heading into another offseason and need to regroup after a 5-12 campaign that led to the firing of head coach Kevin Stefanski on “Black Monday.”
But while filling the position will be high on general manager Andrew Berry’s priority list, reporters were also wondering what the team’s thought process was for the quarterback situation heading into 2026.
Specifically, what does Berry have in mind for Shedeur Sanders, the polarizing rookie who started Cleveland’s final seven games, finishing with a 3-4 record.
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Andrew Berry, executive vice president of football operations and general manager of the Cleveland Browns, watches a drill during Cleveland Browns training camp at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 29, 2025 in Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
During his end-of-season news conference Monday, Berry was evasive when discussing Sanders.
“We’re going to do our job in the quarterback market,” Berry responded, according to the New York Post. “It’s too important a position, and it’s something that needs to be solidified.”
After another lackluster season, it’s only fair that Berry wants to evaluate everything, including the quarterback position, as he heads into another important offseason. The new Browns head coach will also have a say in which quarterback will be in place for the first week of September.
SHEDEUR SANDERS ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO BROWNS FIRE HEAD COACH KEVIN STEFANSKI: “JUST HOW THE LEAGUE IS”
“I can’t sit here and tell you today whether the solution, or the 2026 start, is internal or external. But it’s something we’re going to work on over the next few weeks. And, quite honestly, the new head coach will have a lot to say on that as well.”
The quarterback position in Cleveland received national attention after the Browns selected Sanders in the fifth round — he was a projected first-rounder who shockingly fell to the third day of the 2025 NFL Draft — and Dillon Gabriel out of Oregon in the third round.
Veteran Joe Flacco was the Week 1 starter for Stefanski. But after Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, Gabriel was the next man to join the Browns. Gabriel, however, had no success in his six starting games, going 1-5 as QB1.
After a concussion, Sanders took over and stayed put after winning his first career start against the Las Vegas Raiders. He threw for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his seven starts, while completing 56.6 percent of his throws.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders warms up before a game against the San Francisco 49ers on November 30, 2025 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, the Browns also have Deshaun Watson under contract, and the struggling quarterback is expected to return, according to Berry.
The Browns have the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they could select a quarterback there.
With all of these different factors, Sanders is in the running as a potential Week 1 starter next season, but he’ll have to earn that spot.
“I would say quarterback is the most important position in sports,” Berry added. “We all know that. And part of the equation with quarterback is the evaluation part. Part of it is also the development part. That’s the most important part. It’s the hardest position to play.
“It may take time, but that’s the goal: to solidify that position. That’s the most important thing that can lead to sustained success. That’s the No. 1 priority. How we get there with the combination of internal options, external veteran options, the draft, that remains to be seen. But the No. 1 priority is finding the leader of the organization. That’s what we’re focused on in the short term.”
Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns before an NFL preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field on August 23, 2025 in Cleveland. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images)
Berry said he saw promising development from Sanders in his first NFL season.
“I think we’ve seen a lot of progress with Shedeur this year. I think it’s mental, physical and game-wise. He’s still a work in progress, as many rookie quarterbacks are,” Berry said.
