Cleveland sports analyst Adam Gerstenhaber laid out the path he sees to the Browns winning the AFC North in 2026, and it runs through Shedeur Sanders starting at quarterback and playing at the level Tyrod Taylor reached with the Buffalo Bills.

“First of all, Shedeur Sanders is starting. That’s the path, because he’s the only hope at the position,” Gerstenhaber said. “I need him to channel his inner Tyrod Taylor. Tyrod Taylor, for a minute with the Bills, was a solid NFL quarterback. I’m not saying that’s all Shedeur Sanders could be. For this year, I think we would sign for what Tyrod Taylor did for a couple of years in Buffalo. In one of those years, I think he had 20 touchdowns, seven picks, but if Shedeur Sanders had that kind of season and if the defense could stay just as good overall, then that’s the path.”

Gerstenhaber also tied the path to the defense staying elite

Taylor’s best year in Buffalo came in 2015: 20 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 99.4 passer rating across 14 starts, efficient enough to win games without being asked to carry the offense. Gerstenhaber’s argument is that Cleveland’s defense is capable enough to win games around a quarterback who manages rather than dominates.

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Adam Gerstenhaber believes the Browns’ clearest path to winning the AFC North starts with Shedeur Sanders emerging as the starting quarterback and delivering efficient, steady play while the defense continues performing at a high level.

“First of all, Shedeur Sanders is… pic.twitter.com/2SE5o65uzX

— BrownsNation.com (@BrownsNationcom) July 2, 2026

That defense has legitimate pieces returning despite the loss of Myles Garrett to the Rams and the departure of coordinator Jim Schwartz. Jared Verse, who arrived in the Garrett trade, joins Carson Schwesinger as back-to-back Defensive Rookies of the Year on the same roster.

Denzel Ward is a five-time Pro Bowler at cornerback. New defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg inherits talent capable of ranking top-10 again.

The quarterback competition itself remains genuinely open. Head coach Todd Monken said through OTAs and mandatory minicamp that neither Sanders nor Deshaun Watson had separated himself. Watson is on the final year of his five-year, $230 million contract and has played 19 games across four Cleveland seasons while managing three separate surgeries.

PFF ranked Watson dead last among all 32 projected starters for 2026. Gerstenhaber’s prediction that Sanders wins the job is his own, not the Browns’ current public position.

Sanders finished 3-4 as a starter in his 2025 rookie year, posting 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions across eight appearances. Training camp, which opens late this month, is where the competition will actually be decided.