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Browns QB Shedeur Sanders switches to No. 2 jersey ahead of 2026 season

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs03/30/26grant_grubbs_

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will wear No. 2 on his jersey next season after wearing No. 12 in his first season. Sanders wore the No. 2 in his two years at Colorado as well.

Sanders couldn’t wear No. 2 last season because wide receiver DeAndre Carter already had the jersey number. However, Carter is no longer on the Browns’ roster.

Sanders began last season as the Browns’ third-string quarterback, backing up Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. However, after the Browns traded Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals, Sanders was named the Browns’ QB2, only trailing Gabriel.

After Gabriel posted a 1-5 record as the Browns’ starter, Sanders was promoted to QB1. The Browns went 3-4 with Sanders starting behind center. Sanders completed 56.6% of his pass attempts for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing 10 interceptions.

With numerous AFC quarterbacks hurt and Drake Maye playing in the Super Bowl earlier this year, Sanders was selected to participate in the Pro Bowl. Sanders will look to retain his starting spot this offseason, but the Browns are undergoing significant changes.

Most notably, the organization fired head coach Kevin Stefanski and replaced him with former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Todd Monken. In February, Browns general manager Andrew Berry discussed the likelihood of Sanders’ being the team’s QB1 again next season.

“You know what, right now, it’s what, February 24? We don’t have to make that decision anytime soon,”Berry said. “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. … 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.”

With the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Browns could pick up another quarterback. The team drafted both Sanders and Gabriel last spring.