Having a two-week franchise tag window is pointless, with two exceptions
And, in many respects, there's no sense having a two-week tag period in a deadline-driven league. The opening of the window doesn't matter; the closing of it does.
But there's one exception. With the Scouting Combine a/k/a Tampering Central coming next week, applying the tag before heading to Indianapolis operates as a 'do not touch' message to the rest of the league. If the player has been blocked from the open market with the tag, teams that will otherwise line up potential free agents won't waste their time.
Then there's the fact that the window closes right after teams get back from Indy. Yes, deadlines drive action. Racing to comply also sparks screwups.
Remember the Elvis Dumervil fax-machine snafu? The failure to accomplish a trade of A.J. McCarron from the Bengals to the Browns as the trade deadline arrived? Waiting too long can lead to unforced error.
Notwithstanding the above, there aren't many no-brainer candidates for the tag this year. It might be only Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. It could be none at all.
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Hasselbeck sees Sanders getting a chance to start earlier than he did, but he shared what the Browns' rookie has to do in order to see game action. "He took advantage of the opportunity and showed that, 'Hey, I'm a guy who has potential," Hasselbeck told FS1's "The Herd." "I'm a guy you can develop and could be the quarterback of the future here. Believe in me and give me a chance.' And I think he's earned that chance." Joe Flacco was named the Browns' starting quarterback, as expected. But how long will he be under center for in Cleveland? (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) If Sanders follows that advice and continues to prove it on the field, there might be a natural break in the Browns' schedule to become the team's starting quarterback in Week 9. At that point, Cleveland could be staring at a 3-5 or 2-6 record based on a tough first-half schedule. That would give Sanders two weeks to prepare for a decent runway to show he can be the team's quarterback of the future for the second half of the year. So, let's say that the Browns struggle as expected before their Week 9 bye and opt to make Sanders their quarterback at that point. Here's how we think things could play out for Sanders with a nine-game audition for 2026 and beyond. Week 10: at New York Jets A tough debut on the road at MetLife Stadium against first-year head coach Aaron Glenn and dynamic quarterback Justin Fields. Glenn is a defensive head coach who will know how to devise a scheme to give Sanders fits in his first start. The Jets are also coming off a bye week and will have two weeks to prepare for the Browns. However, Stefanski has a 3-2 record coming off a bye week, and Cleveland's defense, led by Jim Schwartz, will be a problem for Fields. Result: Win, 1-0 record. Week 11: vs. Baltimore Ravens Sanders and the Browns face one of the best defenses in the league in the Ravens. Along with that, Baltimore's offense, led by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, could have Cleveland playing catch-up when it has the ball. If the Browns can run the football, they can find a way to keep it close. But, more likely, Sanders looks like a bright-eyed rookie in his second NFL start. Result: Loss, 1-1 Week 12: Las Vegas Raiders Facing his mentor Tom Brady's team for the first time, taking down a team led by veteran head coach Pete Carroll could be a tall order for Sanders. It's also a second straight road game for the Browns. However, it's against a Las Vegas team that passed on him several times in the 2025 NFL Draft despite needing quarterback depth in the offseason. In fact, the team was rumored to be interested in him, hosting Sanders for a pre-draft visit. So, the game sets up as a little bit of revenge, and Sanders should be properly motivated. From a talent standpoint, the Browns match up relatively well against the Raiders, who are at the start of a rebuilding process, too. Las Vegas also comes off a short week after a Monday Night Football contest against the Dallas Cowboys. Result: Win, 2-1 Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers have lost the last four times they've played on the road in Cleveland, and we all know the struggles Brock Purdy has had in inclement weather. Sanders plays efficient football against a talented defense led by Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, not turning it over and relying on Cleveland's defense to make enough plays in this one. Result: Win, 3-1 Brock Purdy's rise up the 49ers' depth chart as a seventh-round rookie in 2022 might be the model Shedeur Sanders has to follow to become the Browns' starting quarterback in 2025. (Photo by) Week 14: vs. Tennessee Titans The two most-talked-about quarterbacks in this year's draft, No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and Sanders, face off for the first time. While Ward is certainly the more talented prospect, Sanders arguably has the better team around him and authors his best performance of the season against a vulnerable Tennessee defense, throwing for over 300 yards for the first time in his pro career. Result: Win, 4-1 Week 15: at Chicago Bears Riding a three-game winning streak, Sanders and the Browns get a reality check on the road against Caleb Williams in the Windy City. Williams and the Chicago offense, led by head coach Ben Johnson, should be clicking at this point of the season. And Sanders is due for a bad game, playing on the road against another veteran defensive guru in Chicago defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Result: Loss, 4-2 Week 16: vs. Buffalo Bills The Browns experience their first losing streak with Sanders leading them, falling to the more talented Bills at home in the season's homestretch. Cleveland will have trouble matching touchdowns with Josh Allen and a dynamic offense, and Buffalo will force Sanders into some uncharacteristic turnovers that lead to the loss. Result: Loss, 4-3 Week 17: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers were another team rumored as a potential landing spot for Sanders, who took a pre-draft visit to Pittsburgh and is a big fan of head coach Mike Tomlin. Sanders will face the oldest starting quarterback in the league in Aaron Rodgers, who turns 42 years old in December. Pittsburgh will pose difficulties with a talented defense, but I like Sanders to figure out a way to take his team to a win and get a bit of revenge against another team that passed on him in the draft. Result: Win, 5-3 Mike Tomlin and the Steelers had multiple chances to select Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft. Instead, they signed Aaron Rodgers in June after selecting Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round. (Photo by) Week 18: at Cincinnati Bengals The Browns are playing for pride heading into the final week of the season, while the Bengals should be in position to be playing for postseason seeding. And while these AFC North divisional games are usually competitive, the more motivated Bengals should run away with this game, even though they still have issues on defense. Result: Loss, 5-4 Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! What did you think of this story? share
