Shedeur Sanders can be the 'franchise guy,' team should use picks to build around him, Browns legend says

Cleveland Browns legend Joe Thomas shared his confidence in rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who has settled in after a tumultuous start to his career.

A tumultuous beginning to Shedeur Sanders' career is starting to take shape.

After unexpectedly falling from a potential top-five pick to being drafted in the fifth round, Sanders wound up being the third quarterback on the Cleveland Browns' depth chart, in part because they traded Kenny Pickett.

Joe Flacco was traded, and then fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel got hurt, thus giving Sanders a chance. He won his first NFL start and has remained the starter ever since.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws a pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)

It's been a mixed bag for Sanders, who has five touchdowns against six interceptions. Three of those touchdowns came last week against the Tennessee Titans, but three of his interceptions came in a 31-3 beatdown by the Chicago Bears.

It doesn't help that his top target in Jerry Jeudy has trouble catching the football and his offensive line is depleted, but that's why Browns legend Joe Thomas believes the Browns need to look beyond the box score.

"I think he's done a really nice job … I think he's got a great opportunity to make a name for himself and make a case to be the franchise guy so that the Browns then can use their two first-round draft choices to build around him and then make him the starter throughout the offseason and into training camp and really give him every opportunity to win that job," Thomas said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

"For