NFL trade rumors: Shedeur Sanders' future looks uncertain if Deshaun Watson starts

The Cleveland Browns' quarterback battle between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson has been one of the NFL's most-watched offseason storylines, and now trade rumours are entering the mix. According to Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns have not ruled out trading Sanders if Watson ultimately wins the starting job.

Cleveland could also explore moving on from backup Dillon Gabriel, with the team unlikely to keep four quarterbacks on the roster heading into the 2026 season. Nothing is close to a decision yet, but the chatter shows just how unresolved this competition still is.

Could the Browns really trade Shedeur Sanders?

The trade buzz picked up after talks and calls reportedly came in about Sanders' availability, prompting NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe to suggest Cleveland could consider moving him if Watson wins the competition outright.

But Cabot has been quick to temper expectations, stating plainly that nothing is happening with it right now and that there's nothing new to report during the league's summer break. Her message has been consistent: Sanders and Watson will battle it out properly once training camp begins, and no decision will be rushed before then.

Still, the fact that rival teams are even making calls says plenty about how the league views

Why Dillon Gabriel could also be on the move

Sanders isn't the only quarterback whose future in Cleveland is uncertain.

Cabot has suggested the Browns could look to trade Gabriel around the roster cutdown date, particularly if backup Taylen Green proves capable of handling situational snaps like short-yardage and four-minute offense. The logic is simple: Cleveland is extremely unlikely to carry four quarterbacks into the regular season, so whoever doesn't earn a clear role becomes expendable.This is also where things get more complicated for the Browns.

If Cleveland adds another arm through the supplemental draft, the team would almost certainly need to move either Sanders or Gabriel to make room. With Watson holding a $230 million investment from the franchise and Sanders showing real flashes late last season, including a 3-4 record as a starter while the team went 2-8 in games he didn't start, there's no easy answer here, just a quarterback room that's about to get a lot more crowded before camp settles it.