The Cleveland Browns and quarterback drama go together like peanut butter and jelly—except this sandwich has been stale since 1999. With a 3-14 season in the books (yep, you read that right), the Browns need a quarterback like a fish needs water since they had seen five different quarterbacks start under center, a fitting continuation of a franchise that has cycled through 40 different QBs since its 1999 reboot. Deshaun Watson? He played seven games before his Achilles said, “Yeah, I’m out.” His numbers—1,148 yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs, 79.0 passer rating. His trade? A dumpster fire with a $230 million price tag. Injuries, inconsistency, and an offense that put up 15.2 points per game (dead last in the NFL) made 2024 a season to forget.

But enter Kevin Stefanski, a coach still standing despite the storm. At a recent press conference, Stefanski addressed the Browns’ future, new OC Tommy Rees, and the ever-so-important QB position. And while he didn’t give away much, he did drop five words that define Cleveland’s offseason mission “We believe in our system.” A simple phrase, sure, but in Brown’s lore, it’s practically Shakespearean. Stefanski doubled down on the belief that Cleveland’s offensive system, not just the guy under center, will be the key to success.

“When you win three games, you didn’t do much very well,” Stefanski admitted (understatement of the year). “We’re looking at everything… the quarterback position is important when it comes to winning and losing… we believe in our system.” Translation: No panic, no desperation—just faith that the Browns can plug and play any QB and make it work. Optimistic? Maybe. Risky? Absolutely.

Tommy Rees, fresh off his stint at Alabama, takes over as OC, bringing with him a fresh offensive perspective (because let’s be real, anything is fresher than what Cleveland put on the field last year). The idea? Build a system adaptable to any QB, whether that’s Watson (if his Achilles ever forgives him), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (still developing), or someone new from the draft. Which brings us to Shedeur Sanders.

Shedeur Sanders: Future Brown or the next QB to say “Nah”?

The Browns sit at No. 2 overall in the draft, and if they want Shedeur Sanders, they can have him. But the question is: Would Shedeur (or his dad, Deion Sanders) even want that? Rumors have been swirling that Coach Prime wouldn’t be thrilled about his son landing in Cleveland. A “quarterback graveyard” isn’t exactly the dream spot for a kid who just put up jaw-dropping numbers.

In 2022 at Jackson State, Shedeur threw for 40 touchdowns, setting a school record. He also completed 344 passes, breaking yet another record. Fast forward to 2024 at Colorado, and he shattered Koy Detmer’s long-standing record from 1996 with 4,134 passing yards. Not to mention, his 37 touchdowns in 2024 made him Colorado’s all-time leader. Safe to say, Shedeur isn’t just Deion’s son—he’s a legit star. But Browns GM Andrew Berry? He’s not sweating the rumors one bit. “I don’t anticipate that being a problem,” Berry told reporters, saying the Browns had a great meeting with Shedeur at the East-West Shrine Bowl and came away impressed.

“Shedeur is a really impressive young man. He’s poised, he’s calm, he’s smart, and you can tell that he’s been raised by – quite honestly – a Hall of Fame dad.” Said Andrew Berry, Translation? The Browns want him. Whether he wants them is the real storyline. If Shedeur becomes QB No. 41 in Cleveland history, it’ll either be the start of something great—or just another chapter in the Browns’ never-ending quarterback saga. For now, Stefanski and Berry are playing it cool. They believe in their system. They trust their process. But as Browns fans know all too well, belief is one thing. Winning? That’s another.

And if Shedeur and Deion aren’t convinced, well… maybe QB No. 42 won’t be far behind.