Andrew Berry non-comittal on Shedeur Sanders as Cleveland Browns QB1 in 2026

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry said no decision is imminent regarding Shedeur Sanders or any other quarterback as the starter for 2026. Sanders was one of two rookies, along with Dillon Gabriel, in 2025 for the Browns.

In addition, Joe Flacco got some time last year, but it seems like 2026 will come down to Sanders or Gabriel. Heck, DeShaun Watson is still on the roster, so nothing is for certain.

When speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine, Berry didn’t commit to Sanders, a fan favoirte, or someone else. The Browns seem to be in no rush.

“You know what, right now, it’s what, February 24? We don’t have to make that decision anytime soon,” General Manager Andrew Berry said at the scouting combine on Tuesday. “I think any player that we have in that room, we would expect to compete to earn the role. [Sanders and Watson] would be no different.”

“I think the biggest thing that we want to see from Shedeur is just continued growth,” Berry said. “I think he grew a lot from start [No.] 1 to start [No.] 7. I think certainly playing more efficiently, not putting the ball in harm’s way as much would be important while maintaining the ability to produce out of structure and generate explosive plays.”

Sanders certainly grew as a starter, even with pedestrian stats amid a subpar offense overall. Still, controversial or not, he was named a QB for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games last month. Watson, a former Pro Bowler and playoff quarterback himself, could find himself in the mix.

“Deshaun’s been working really hard,” Berry said. “He’s been working his tail off. Like I said, we’re excited to go into April with all of our players across the roster because competition is important.”

But the conversation, mostly, centers around Sanders. He went 3-4 as a starter in 2025 and threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 56.6% completion percentage as a rookie.

Heading into his second campaign with Cleveland, he will have to regain the starting role with newly hired head coach Jeff Monken at the helm. His father Deion Sanders had some words of wisdom.

“Work. Work,” Sanders told his son. “That’s the way you win everything in life. With work. I ain’t never seen anyone who don’t wanna work win, or succeed or become successful. He’s a worker. He’s a bona fide worker. It’s funny because all the bull junk they were putting out on him last year… where has that gone?

“Where has that gone, because he’s a true leader and he’s a bona fide baller. He can play. He can study. He’s prepared. When he walks into a room, he knows how to win it. But just work. Get in there with the head coach and the OC and get in the playbook early. Just put in work.”