Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders may be getting more than a handful of snaps in Week 9, when his team visits the Saints.
The Browns have announced that starting quarterback Deshaun Watson is in the concussion protocol.
“During the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Steelers, Deshaun took a helmet-to-helmet hit,” the team said in a statement released on Wednesday morning. “The ATC spotter called down to the sideline, and the Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant (UNC) administered a gameday concussion evaluation. Deshaun was cleared by the UNC and returned on the Browns’ next offensive series. As part of the protocol, the team’s medical staff evaluated him again postgame and Monday morning. Both times he showed no symptoms, passed his evaluations, and was cleared. On Tuesday morning, he reported to the medical staff that he began experiencing concussion symptoms Monday night and was immediately placed in the concussion protocol.”
Watson will remain in the concussion protocol until he clears the various steps. Until then, Sanders will presumably be the starter — unless the coaching staff decides to pivot to Dillon Gabriel.
The development comes not long after Sanders hired an agent for the first time, presumably in an effort to secure a trade to a new team. For now, he’ll get a chance to make the case to become the eventual starter for the Browns. Or to attract interest elsewhere in him once 2027 rolls around.
For the 5-3 Browns, it’s a significant development. They need to keep pace with the 6-2 Steelers and 5-2 Bengals. Picking up a fourth loss without Watson (who eventually threw for 324 yards in the 27-6 loss at Pittsburgh) will make that harder to accomplish.