The Cleveland Browns had a lot to prove this season after going 5-12 in 2025. They entrusted the important job to Deshaun Watson, who returned after being sidelined since October 2024. The fact that Todd Monken has stuck with the veteran now raises questions about Shedeur’s future in Cleveland. Unfortunately, his future started taking shape even before he stepped into the NFL, as Shedeur now gets a blunt update from former Cleveland linebacker Willie McGinest.

“Shedeur didn’t put the pressure on the position by coming into the league. I mean that by saying he wasn’t like a top pick. Now, if you’re a number one pick, if you’re a top 10 pick, then you put the pressure on the position right away,” shared the 3x Super Bowl champion, McGinest. “It always comes down to who gives us the best chance to win.

“If he was ready and he was like a Russell Wilson who came in a second- or third-round pick for Seattle, and we’re like, ‘Oh no, wait, wait, we got a problem. This dude is way better than the dude we just paid. He’s gonna start.’ And it comes to fruition, and you see it. That wasn’t the situation.”

At the end of the day, it’s only the games that speak about a player. For the Browns, the priority has been winning games, not giving a young quarterback playing time simply because fans want to see him play. For instance, Russell Wilson was the 3rd-round, 75th overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2012 NFL Draft. But he was impressive enough to convince Seahawks coach Pete Carroll to give him the starting job after just three days of watching him practice. But that’s not the case for Shedeur.

“I know there’s a lot of hype and it’s the hype behind the name or the lineage where you come from or what you actually doing on the football field. At some point, if he’s doing what he needs to do on the football field, he’ll get an opportunity,” shared Willie McGinest. “But from what all the experts say, coming out the gate, he wasn’t ready. And so them being 4-2, them winning and doing what they’re doing, showing they made the right decision.”

Given the circumstances, Shedeur got his opportunity last season as he started for the Browns after Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion. Was it successful? No. He had an inconsistent run as the team’s starting quarterback, throwing seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions across eight games. Even though he displayed his playmaking ability at his best, using both his arm and legs to create opportunities, he carried a problem that he had been facing since his college days.

Shedeur’s tendency to keep the ball in his hands for too long was an area of concern. His 3.24-second average time to throw in 2025 was the highest in the NFL from the point of his Week 11 debut. The Browns might have given him another chance to prove himself this season, but the timing was not right.

Watson returned healthy and showed that Cleveland made the right decision by choosing him as the starter.

The veteran made a case for his place as Cleveland’s starting quarterback in the Browns’ latest matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Although he finished with 164 passing yards on 16-of-26 completions and no touchdowns, he delivered a crucial 33-yard throw to Jerry Jeudy in the fourth quarter to help set up the late win.

With limited playing time in the first six games, Shedeur watched Watson lead Cleveland to a 4-2 streak. Given the current situation, trade talks have been brewing already for the former Colorado quarterback.

The trade deadline is Nov. 10, which falls right after Week 9 as the league hits midseason. As per the latest reports, Shedeur has signed with Adie von Gontard, CEO of Young Money APAA Sports, the same agency that represents his former Colorado teammate Travis Hunter. The move has raised speculation about a possible change of teams.

“Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry is not shy about making deals,” wrote The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones. “We are still just a few months removed from Berry sending a first-ballot Hall of Famer to the Super Bowl favorites.”

Given how Watson is on a heater, it’s hard for Shedeur to win the starting job anytime soon, prompting him to tread the trade path.