Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders made waves with his latest comments, suggesting he’s ready to play now and could outperform some of the NFL’s current starters.

In an interview with ESPN Cleveland, Sanders said he believes he has the ability to step in and contribute immediately.

“I know if you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I know I’m capable of doing better than that,” Sanders said. “It’s obvious a lot of teams would be playing me, but that’s not in God’s plan right now. And some things happen for a reason and I’m a true believer in that. And whatever his plan for me is I believe in it. So I don’t be stressed or feel bad that I’m in the situation I’m in right now. It’s just funny to me and I just enjoy it.”

Sanders isn’t addressing the Browns’ quarterback situation directly, but Joe Flacco’s play has been hard to ignore. The veteran ranks last in the NFL in passer rating (65.9), with just two touchdowns against four interceptions.

Cleveland turned to Flacco in Week 1 for his experience and steadiness, yet he’s already committed five turnovers, including a costly fumble returned for a touchdown against the Ravens.

That said, the offense’s woes can’t all be pinned on Flacco. The run game has sputtered, and the unit as a whole is producing just 15.3 points per game — ahead of only two teams through three weeks.

Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Prepared for Opportunity

Sanders, a fifth-round pick by Cleveland, has spent most of the early season working with the scout team while sitting behind Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. Though he remains on the active roster, he serves as the team’s emergency third quarterback and is typically inactive on game days. Still, Sanders has emphasized that he’s preparing every week as if his number could be called at any moment.

“I don’t think playing or not playing is in my head,” Sanders said. “Based on the situation, if things happen and it turns out that I play, then I’ll be out there and I’ll be ready to play. I’m ready to play right now.”

Sanders also admitted he isn’t entirely “comfortable” with his current position.

“I’m not comfortable being a scout team player, honestly. That’s my situation, so I’m going to make the best of it and enjoy my moments,” Sanders said. “This isn’t my end goal. I’m just enjoying myself, learning and doing everything I have to do. Just ready for my opportunity.”

Browns Want Joe Flacco to Get Comfortable

The Browns have acknowledged that Flacco has not looked comfortable within the offense the last few weeks. He’s rarely looked downfield and has relied on checkdowns. The Browns want the 18-year veteran to find a confident rhythm.

“He hasn’t been able to get back into rhythm again. Our job as coach is to get him feeling comfortable and confident and, we’ve been working at that,” Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. “He’s not a guy that gets real up and down, so you wouldn’t sense any of that, but just in the course of the game, allowing him to feel confident that he can rip it and really that’s our job as coaching staff to make sure that we get him there.”

After picking up their first win of the season, Cleveland heads to Detroit on Sunday to take on the Lions. The Browns are a 9.5-point underdog for the matchup.

‘Can He be Consistent at His Age?’: Chris Harris Jr. Details What Can Go Wrong With Aaron Rodgers

Through the early slate of 2025 games, Aaron Rodgers has moved the Steelers’ offense efficiently (see game logs and per-game totals), but durability and sustained explosiveness remain the open questions as the calendar turns toward midseason.

Rodgers is 41 and has a long injury history, most notably the torn Achilles that ended his 2023 season, and that history increases the importance of how his body holds up under the weekly grind and contact. Even an elite field-vision QB who mitigates hits with pocket awareness can see production dip when mobility and recovery time take a hit.

And that’s exactly why Chris Harris Jr. is being cautious about the QB’s luck going ahead in the season.

“Aaron Rodgers is playing good,” Harris said. “You know, it’s just can he be consistent all year long, you know, at his age — 40 plus — taking the hits and can he do that for the whole totality of the season. That’s my only question mark.”

Harris also used the moment to remind fans that the wider AFC picture matters: he noted Baltimore and Lamar Jackson as a team that could go on a run when healthy, a contrast to the veteran-led Steelers attack that will lean on Rodgers’ decision-making more than on game-breaking rushing.

“Everybody can believe that the Ravens can go on a nice little winning streak once they get Lamar back… he’s still the best quarterback in that division.”

Rodgers’ early play with

Pittsburgh has reassured skeptics; he still reads defenses and delivers in tempo, but Harris’s central question is exactly the one to watch: can a 41-year-old quarterback, with a recent major injury on his résumé, absorb the season’s hits and remain consistently sharp for 17 games (plus potential playoffs)?If he does, the Steelers get a veteran who can win. If not, this could be a short, bumpy farewell tour.