Overview
- Cleveland is 3-12 with the No. 3 pick and could climb to No. 2 with losses, making this evaluation window decisive for its offseason plan.
- Sanders has five starts at 1-4, showed improvement against Buffalo, yet carries a 48.6 PFF grade (41st of 41) and the lowest recent passer rating while taking 13 sacks.
- Head coach Kevin Stefanski and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin have cited Sanders’ growing leadership, command and toughness as notable positives.
- Beat reporting underscores that Sanders’ outsized media attention could complicate drafting a new QB in the first round and keeping him on the roster.
- Options floated by analysts include using two first-rounders to add receiver and line help, targeting a quarterback such as Ty Simpson in a PFF mock scenario, or exploring veterans like Malik Willis or a trade for Mac Jones.