Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken has officially named Deshaun Watson the team’s Week 1 starter. As a result, Shedeur Sanders will open the season as the Browns’ QB2, leaving his future in Cleveland up in the air.
That decision quickly sparked trade talk around Sanders. Skip Bayless took it a step further, calling for Cleveland to send him to the Atlanta Falcons.
Fan Rejects Skip Bayless’ Shedeur Sanders ProposalIn a video posted to X, Bayless urged Jimmy Haslam and Monken to move the quarterback.
“I wish there were some way that Jimmy Haslam and Todd Monken would decide, as we near the season, to get rid of Shedeur, to set him free, to trade him elsewhere,” he said.
“Would I love to see Shedeur in Atlanta? Do I think Shedeur Sanders, this coming football season, could win more games than Penix or Tua could win? You better believe that I do.”
He then doubled down on his belief in Sanders.
“Shedeur Sanders is better than either quarterback that the Atlanta Falcons have right now that they’re trying to decide between. I know they spent a high pick on Penix. Tua was a high pick and came with a high salary; I got it. But can you imagine Shedeur Sanders in Atlanta, GA? Can you imagine how that city would go crazy for this guy wearing their jersey?”
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Soon after, fans quickly pushed back because the Falcons have former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski at the helm.
One supporter blasted Bayless for suggesting Sanders return to a coach who previously benched him.
“You have officially lost your mind. You want him playing for the same coach who benched him?” the fan wrote.
Another added, “So go to the same coach that didn’t think he could play lol… U guys with this blind loyalty to a QB that coach’s and GM’s think is not a franchise QB. And just think, if Shedeur does play, he’ll have a built-in excuse from his fans saying he was sabotaged so he didn’t play well.”
One fan questioned the logic even more directly, writing, “Play for Kevin Stefanski, who never gave him an equal opportunity?”
That reaction comes from Sanders’ difficult 2025 rookie season under Stefanski. The coach used three different starting quarterbacks during his final year with the Browns when Sanders eventually took over.
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Moreover,reports suggested Stefanski never fully trusted Sanders as a starter during that campaign.
The Browns initially handed the job to Joe Flacco before trading him to the Cincinnati Bengals. They then turned to rookie Dillon Gabriel, but his struggles did not immediately convince Stefanski to make a change. Instead, Gabriel remained in place until an injury forced the issue.
Sanders finally replaced Gabriel during a Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
But that opportunity quickly turned into another rough outing. He completed only 25% of his passes, took two sacks, and threw an interception as Cleveland struggled to find any rhythm.
Stefanski also showed little sign of creating an offense tailored to Sanders’ strengths.
Sanders ended 2025 with a 3-5 record as a starter, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He posted a 63.0 PFN QB Impact score, which ranked second-worst among qualifying quarterbacks.
Naturally, fans questioned why the Falcons would want Sanders after his previous experience with the coach.
“Falcons?!? You [expletive], Stefanski didn’t want him in Cleveland,” read one remark.
Another supporter made the concern even clearer: “You think Stefanski wants Shedeur after everything?”
The reaction continued as more fans pointed out the obvious connection.
One supporter mocked Bayless’ proposal with a simple reminder: “Skip, do you not know Stefanski is the coach 😂.”
For now, Cleveland’s QB competition may technically be over, but Sanders remains the alternative if Watson struggles or suffers an injury.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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