Browns' Interest In Ty Simpson Could Spell Trouble For Shedeur Sanders

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Browns' Interest In Ty Simpson Could Spell Trouble For Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns already have a young quarterback in Shedeur Sanders on their roster, but that might not stop the front office from taking another stab at the position in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Sanders, the 144th overall pick from last year's draft, appeared in eight games during his rookie season with the Browns. The son of NFL legend Deion Sanders completed 56.6% of his pass attempts for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

While fans in Cleveland would love to see Sanders get a full season as the starting quarterback, it sounds like at least one prospect is on the team's radar.

Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) warms up prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images© Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

During this Thursday's pre-draft press conference, Browns general manager Andrew Berry made it known that he enjoyed his time interviewing Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.

"Son of a coach, really smart, very driven, he’s physically talented. He has a very unique college journey, in terms of coming in as a five star and then really having to wait his turn behind two pretty talented quarterbacks [in] Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe before getting his chance under center. And he did a great job maximizing it," Berry said, via Pro Football Talk. "So, we’ve really enjoyed our time with Ty."

Simpson, who had 3,567 passing yards and 28 touchdowns in 2025, is considered the No. 2 quarterback in this year's draft class.

If the Browns were to select Simpson, that would drastically lower Sanders' chances of winning the starting job for Week 1.

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) passes against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.

Mel Kiper Jr. would be furious about this potential move.

Field Yates mentioned the Browns as a potential option for Simpson during an episode of "ESPN First Draft." That comment didn't sit well with Mel Kiper Jr., who has been a huge supporter of Sanders over the past year.

"The Browns don’t have to worry about Ty Simpson. They got a better quarterback in Shedeur Sanders than Ty Simpson," Kiper told Yates. "Don’t go there."

As of now, the plan is for the Browns to have a quarterback competition this summer.

“Nobody is getting handed the keys to the car today,” Haslam Sports Group partner JW Johnson said. “They’re going to come in and compete. Deshaun is coming off a major injury. He’s done well and has battled back. It’s nice to see him back. … Shedeur and Dillon had ups and downs during their rookie years. Now with a new head coach, let’s see how they come in, compete and understand the offense. I think it’s open competition and we are excited about it.”

Even though Sanders might generate the most buzz out of any quarterback on Cleveland's roster, he's not a lock to defeat Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson.

This story was originally published by The Spun on Apr 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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