We’re inching closer to the 2026 NFL season for the Cleveland Browns. We’ve made it past the schedule release and mandatory minicamp is just a few weeks away. When the Browns are on the field for mandatory minicamp, all eyes will be on the quarterback position.  

Deshaun Watson is the veteran in the room and is looked at as the favorite to be Cleveland’s starter to begin the 2026 season. His biggest challenger for the job is second-year QB Shedeur Sanders, followed by Dillon Gabriel. Ahead of mandatory minicamp, Sanders’ father wants to make something happen. 

Deion Sanders has a request for the Browns to fulfill this offseason 

We’ve all seen how involved Deion Sanders likes to be with his NFL quarterback son by now. Sanders has admittedly yet to meet Cleveland’s first-year head coach. It’s something the Colorado head coach wants to make happen soon. 

“I want to meet him,” Sanders said recently. “Because I think it’s vital that as a coach, not the dad, I can tell him a few things about [Shedeur], how to get him going. That wasn’t asked of me a year ago. I don’t understand it.”

Even a guy like Travis Hunter being drafted to Jacksonville and I’ve had him for the last three [seasons], don’t you think you would want to talk to me to ask me what gets him going and what backs him off? You would want to know that. So, I anticipate, and I can’t wait to have that conversation with Coach Monken.”

Deion Sanders’ comment is a shot at what Kevin Stefanski didn’t do with the Browns 

Stefanski was the head coach last year in Cleveland and it appears Deion never got the chance to have this kind of conversation with the Browns’ ex-head coach. If it’s truly a conversation around the things that motivate Cleveland’s quarterback and how to get the best out of him, it wouldn’t hurt to have. If it’s Deion being overly involved with the youth sports parents vibes, it’s a non-conversation. 

As a rookie with the Browns, Sanders led Cleveland to a 3-4 record with 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in seven games started. Turnovers and reckless play were issues for Sanders at times. But as a rookie he did elevate the offense with some explosive plays created as well. 

Sanders is just one young quarterback with the Browns right now in the fold. Gabriel and rookie sixth-round pick Taylen Green also represent the youth. If past seasons with Watson show anything, the rest of the room better be ready to play.