The Cleveland Browns have had quite the rollercoaster ride with their quarterback situation this year.
The team started the offseason with four QBs, traded Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders, traded Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals, promoted rookie Dillon Gabriel to the starting role, promoted rookie backup Shedeur Sanders to the No. 2 job, and elevated practice-squad QB Bailey Zappe to be the backup for Sunday’s matchup against the New England Patriots.
With a less than 10 days until the Nov. 4 trade deadline, many expect the Browns to make a splashy move to bring in a premier wide receiver (New York Jets star Garrett Wilson is a popular name), and Sanders’ name has come up on more than one occasion.
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While the Browns have been adamant that Sanders isn’t going anywhere—Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot even reported the team won’t move Sanders between now and Nov. 4—the rookie QB’s latest Instagram story has fans thinking otherwise.
Prior to Sunday’s matchup with the Patriots, Sanders posted a black-and-white photo of himself signing autographs with Browns fans, which some took as a sign the Colorado alum was saying goodbye.
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“Shedeur, I rock with you heavy… just don’t get our hopes up. This feels like a goodbye picture to the Cleveland Browns,” one fan wrote.
“I agree. He’s saying goodbye. He loved that community,” another agreed.
“Oh yea he’s getting traded this that goodbye post,” a third fan replied.
“Bro definitely got word he’s getting traded,” one user commented.
“It’s giving ‘farewell’” a second user posted.
“I believe he’s saying goodbye. The deck was stacked against him in Cleveland. Even the QB coach is a former Oregon QB,” another fan remarked.
Sanders was inactive for Sunday’s game with a back injury that reportedly flared up on Saturday. The 23-year-old QB participated in practice on Friday, and his health worsened the next day.
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