Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry has cooled expectations around Shedeur Sanders, making it clear his second NFL season will be about development, not guarantees.
Sanders enters Year 2 after a mixed rookie campaign that showed flashes but also clear inconsistency. With changes across the offense, the Browns are taking a patient approach rather than rushing a decision at quarterback.
Berry’s latest comments reflect that balance. There is an opportunity, but nothing is being handed out. That puts the focus firmly on how Sanders builds on what he showed last season.
Andrew Berry outlines Shedeur Sanders’ Year 2 QB outlook
In an X post, Berry stressed that the quarterback situation remains open heading into the new system.
“I think that’s a little bit TBD, because I think all of our guys coming in, they’re going to learn a new offensive system,” Berry said.
He added: “We’re going to have a fair amount of turnover on that side of the ball, they’ll have new teammates to learn, which is why the spring will be really important for the guys that are at the offseason program for us to really, really get a sense of their progress year over year.”
That uncertainty reflects Sanders’ rookie year trajectory. He began the season as a backup before stepping in midseason and eventually starting games down the stretch.
Across the year, he finished with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing just over 56 percent of his passes.
The flashes were there, including a 364-yard game late in the season, but consistency remained an issue.
Shedeur Sanders’ second-year leap is now under the spotlight
The Browns are now looking for tangible progression rather than isolated moments of promise.
“But he’s been working really hard. I would expect him to take a step forward, and we’ll deal with that kind of week-by-week and month-by-month,” the Browns GM concluded.
That approach reflects how his rookie season unfolded. Sanders went 3–4 as a starter after taking over late in the year, showing improvement but also struggling with turnovers and decision-making in key moments.
Sanders’ development curve is now the key factor. The tools are there, but the Browns need to see better control, faster reads, and fewer mistakes.
Year 2 is typically where quarterbacks define their trajectory. For Sanders, it will determine whether he becomes a long-term option or remains part of a wider competition.
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