Dez Bryant says Shedeur Sanders would be a “franchise QB” move for the New Orleans Saints, arguing Sanders could benefit from leaving a Cleveland Browns stalemate. Bryant’s comments also throw a spotlight on the Saints’ continuing uncertainty at quarterback as
New Orleans fans have spent the offseason looking for a clearer quarterback path in Year 2, and one comment from a former Saints star has now injected a new name into the mix: Shedeur Sanders.
Dez Bryant, a former Saints wide receiver, says he believes Sanders is built for franchise-level responsibility. In a post on social media. Bryant wrote. “I think he’s a franchise QB” and added that moving Sanders out of Cleveland would be a “plus. ” saying. “I think he’s a franchise QB and getting him out of Cleveland will be a plus for him. ” and. “the Saints would be a great fit for him!”.
The idea Bryant points to is simple: Sanders is stuck in a stalemate that includes Deshaun Watson. and Bryant believes getting out and into New Orleans would change the trajectory of his career. Sanders. according to the remarks. turned in a rookie-year performance that was consistently ranked worst among his peers. and now faces a situation that hasn’t turned into a clear opening.
Bryant’s timing adds to the buzz, but the fit is complicated by his own short tenure with the Saints. Bryant notes he’s known for his career resume. including an All-Pro nod and three trips to the Pro Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys. but his time with New Orleans lasted just one practice session. He suffered an Achilles injury on his first day of work and never suited up for a game in black and gold.
Even so, the quarterback debate it sparks lands in a place Saints fans already know too well: how much they should trust the next move, especially when the team is still looking for consistency.
The Saints, the discussion notes, didn’t play a single game in prime time last year. They also didn’t give many casual fans a reason to tune in during a hard-to-watch stretch that lasted through the first half of the season. Things improved after head coach Kellen Moore benched Spencer Rattler for Tyler Shough. but the team still has work to do before the kind of idle trade chatter that draws attention to quarterbacks outside the building goes quiet.
Shough. for now. remains the most tangible answer for fans watching for progress and for the coaching staff to commit to the direction that took shape when Rattler was replaced. Bryant’s Sanders push doesn’t erase that. but it does underline why fans keep asking the same question: if Sanders can be the kind of “franchise QB” Bryant believes he is. why hasn’t the Saints acted more directly?.
The counterpoint built into the conversation is that if New Orleans wanted Sanders. it would have drafted him when the opportunity was there last year. Instead. the team appears to be investing in Shough and. as the debate frames it. it may be smarter to follow through on that choice rather than reach for a quarterback in a way that could backfire.
In the end. Bryant’s message is less a settled plan than a spark for a quarterback argument that won’t fade anytime soon—especially as long as the Saints’ improvements still have to prove they can hold. If Shough meets expectations, fans get the payoff they’ve been waiting for. If not, the offseason pressure will simply move to the next rookie draft class. For now. the loudest takeaway from Bryant’s post is clear: he sees more promise in Sanders than the Browns’ situation has offered him. and he believes New Orleans could have a chance to make that change instead of waiting.
Dez Bryant Shedeur Sanders New Orleans Saints Tyler Shough Deshaun Watson Cleveland Browns Kellen Moore Spencer Rattler NFL quarterback debate