Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders finally made his NFL debut on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, but unfortunately, he didn’t help get them the win.
The Browns fell to the Ravens 23-16, and Sanders struggled in his first taste of NFL action. The Colorado alum completed 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards, he was sacked twice and threw one interception.
Sanders got the go-ahead to take over against the Ravens after Browns starter Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion and was ruled out for game. Sanders is also expected to start in the team’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, which means Sanders will have to worry about star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who leads his team with six sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
If Sanders isn’t able to rise to the occasion again, or even if he is, there’s a good chance the Browns will be looking at drafting yet another signal-caller in the 2026 NFL draft. Alex Kay of Bleacher Report has an idea of who could step in and potentially be the franchise quarterback that the Browns have wanted for years.
Kay notes that “it’s already become clear that a good chunk of NFL teams have a quarterback problem that will need to be addressed during the 2026 offseason.” For the Browns, he seems them drafting Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers.
“The Browns can’t afford to whiff if they decide to take a crack at a first-round quarterback prospect for the first time since selecting Baker Mayfield at No. 1 overall in 2018,” Kay stated. “With Cleveland trending towards becoming the first of many QB-needy squads to go on the clock during the 2026 draft, Fernando Mendoza would be the optimal choice.”
Mendoza has gained plenty of attention leading Indiana to an 11-0 record and No. 2 national ranking in the AP top 25 poll.
“He’s accomplished this while completing an impressive 73 percent of his passes for 2,641 yards and an absurd 30 touchdowns,” Kay added.
Kay even says that the Cleveland Browns “shouldn’t hesitate” to snag Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick and “hand him the keys to their offense.”
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