CLEVELAND — The offseason rumor mill is already churning in Berea, but the Cleveland Browns locker room is making its stance clear. After stepping in to start the final seven games of the 2025 season, Shedeur Sanders continues to face intense external scrutiny. Inside the building, however, the young quarterback has earned the ultimate currency: respect from his defensive leaders.
Carson Schwesinger, fresh off capturing the 2025 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, just delivered a massive public endorsement for Sanders. Speaking on NFL Network’s The Insiders, the linebacker defended the fifth-round pick’s rookie progression. When the defensive signal-caller who just led all rookies with 156 total tackles speaks, the rest of the roster listens.
Growing Pains and Poise Under Center
Stepping into an NFL huddle as a rookie requires thick skin. Doing it behind a battered offensive line while trying to master complex protection schemes is a monumental task. Sanders finished his seven-game stint with a 3-4 record, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The box score lacked perfection. He took heavy hits, forced tight-window throws, and learned hard lessons about NFL defensive speed.
You could feel the tension in Huntington Bank Field during those late-season matchups. The freezing winds off Lake Erie never deterred the Dawg Pound, who watched every dropback with bated breath. Yet, Sanders never blinked. He dusted himself off after brutal sacks and marched directly back to the huddle. That exact grit caught the attention of Schwesinger, who wore the green dot and diagnosed opposing offenses for Cleveland all season.
“Being able to go in there and run the offense as a rookie, it’s a hard thing to do. As somebody who’s calling the defense, I think doing that on offense is a lot bigger of a job, but I have a little bit of understanding there in what it takes. Being able to do that and have the poise, and then you see growth every week, I think that’s really what you can ask for.”
— Carson Schwesinger, Browns Linebacker & 2025 DROY
What’s Next for the Browns Quarterback Room
Head coach Kevin Stefanski and the front office face a massive evaluation period leading up to free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. Cleveland must decide if they are rolling with Sanders, exploring trade targets, or bringing in a high-profile veteran to compete for the starting job.
Steadiness week to week matters far more than instant perfection for a young quarterback. Sanders showed flashes of brilliant pre-snap recognition, followed by classic rookie blunders. But the validation from the defensive side of the ball carries massive weight. Star edge rusher Myles Garrett recently echoed Schwesinger’s sentiment, calling Sanders “unflappable” during his rookie campaign.
If Sanders maintains this level of trust among his peers, he holds a distinct advantage entering offseason workouts. The statistics must improve, but the locker room culture is already leaning in his direction.
