Skip Bayless made his feelings clear Monday after the Cleveland Browns named Deshaun Watson their Week 1 starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders.
The longtime sports commentator tore into the Browns’ decision and urged the team to trade Sanders to the Atlanta Falcons. Bayless argued that Sanders deserves a better situation and believes the young quarterback would immediately improve Atlanta’s options under center.
“This sorry-a** franchise does not deserve to have Shedeur Sanders on its roster anymore,” Bayless said in a video posted to X.
Bayless called on Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and head coach Todd Monken to “set him free” by dealing Sanders before the regular season begins. He then named Atlanta as the ideal landing spot.
“I’d love to see Shedeur in Atlanta,” Bayless said.
He went further, claiming Sanders would win more games this season than either Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa. Bayless insisted Sanders ranks ahead of both quarterbacks currently competing for the Falcons’ starting job.
No reports have surfaced suggesting Atlanta has inquired about a trade for Sanders. Bayless appeared to offer his personal opinion rather than any inside information on discussions between the teams.
Still, the suggestion carries some logic given the connections involved. Sanders’ father, Deion Sanders, began his NFL career with the Falcons. Atlanta also employs head coach Kevin Stefanski, who worked with Shedeur Sanders during the quarterback’s rookie year in Cleveland.
Stefanski named Sanders the Browns’ starter for the rest of the 2025 season in December. At the time, the coach praised the rookie’s growth and commitment in practice.
Penix recently returned to full participation after recovering from a torn ACL suffered last November. He spent much of training camp limited. On Monday, Penix and Tagovailoa took turns with the first-team offense during practice, according to team reports.
The Falcons finally have Penix healthy enough to push Tagovailoa for the top job. Bayless believes adding Sanders would raise the competition even higher.
Bayless has backed Sanders consistently since the quarterback entered the NFL. He often criticized Cleveland’s handling of the young player. In October 2025, Bayless already suggested other teams should pursue a trade while Sanders sat behind Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders played in eight games as a rookie and started seven. He finished 3-4, completing 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His strongest outing came against the Tennessee Titans in December, when he threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score.
Cleveland reopened the quarterback competition this summer once Watson returned from Achilles injuries that sidelined him for all of 2025. Monken settled the matter Monday by selecting Watson as the starter for the Sept. 13 opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The coach said Watson offered the best chance to move the ball and score points.
Bayless disagreed strongly with that assessment. Instead of waiting for Sanders to earn another look in Cleveland, he wants the Browns to send the quarterback to Stefanski in Atlanta, where two other signal-callers already battle for playing time.
Whether the Falcons pursue any such deal remains unknown. For now, Bayless has planted the idea firmly in the public conversation as both teams prepare for the upcoming season.
