Shedeur Sanders Gets the Week 9 Start, and the Browns Are Finally Out of Excuses

The Cleveland Browns are finally making a quarterback change, though it took a medical protocol to force their hand. Shedeur Sanders is officially getting the start in Week 9.

Deshaun Watson is in the protocol, meaning Sanders will take the snaps when Cleveland travels to play the New Orleans Saints. And before the rumor mill starts spinning, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports this is not a trade showcase. The Browns are keeping Sanders past the deadline.

"Jeremy Fowler reported: 'This is not a trade showcase. The Browns have no plans to deal Sanders at the deadline.'"

Watson's tenure in Cleveland has been a masterclass in sunk-cost fallacy. The Browns handed him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, and in return, they have gotten historically bad quarterback play and a completely stagnant offense.

Cleveland is coming off an ugly 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers where the offense looked entirely lifeless. For anyone looking at the betting lines for this upcoming Saints matchup, Sanders stepping in might actually inject some much-needed energy into a unit that has been painful to watch.

The funniest part of Fowler's report is the clarification that Cleveland will not trade Sanders. Of course they will not. You do not trade the only guy on the roster who might be able to throw a forward pass just because you are financially handcuffed to a quarter-billion-dollar mistake.

Sanders gets his shot against New Orleans on November 8. If he lights up the Saints, the Browns are going to have a very uncomfortable decision to make when Watson is finally cleared to return.