Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders hires an agent for first time, adding more fuel to trade rumors
Deshaun Watson gets Week 1 nod over Shedeur Sanders; Vrabel admits Patriots lack depth | FTF
Danny Parkins and Coach Eric Mangini break down Deshaun Watson getting the Week 1 nod for the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens’ defense and Mike Vrabel’s concerns about the New England Patriots’ depth. Former NFL QB Brian Hoyer joins to discuss the hype around the Dallas Cowboys and whether it’s time to panic about the Los Angeles Chargers after another offensive line injury.
Shedeur Sanders has hired an NFL agent for the first time, and while that typically sounds like something a player wanting a new contract would do, that isn't the main reason the Cleveland Browns quarterback is making this move.
Sanders, in only his second season since being drafted in 2025, has hired Adie von Gontard of Young Money APAA Sports, as his first NFL representation.
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This is a logical choice because Gontard already represents Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter. Hunter and Sanders were teammates and friends at the University of Colorado and came out in the same 2025 draft.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) drops back to pass during the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 16, 2025. (Scott Galvin/Imagn Images)
But the fact that Sanders is hiring an agent now, after going through the draft process, enduring a disappointing first day in which he hoped to be selected in the first round but fell to the fifth and signing his rookie deal without representation, is curious.
The timing suggests stuff.
Young Money APAA Sports did not immediately reply to a request for comment. But multiple NFL sources are telling OutKick they believe Sanders has hired representation because he's getting ready to press for a trade from the Cleveland Browns.
It should be noted the NFL is rife with rumors and none of the sources speaking about Sanders are directly tied to his family.
But this is very much how the NFL operates, so it makes sense.
Only two weeks ago, Arizona Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. hired an agent for the first time and over the weekend the Houston Texans confirmed they had traded for him.
Minkah Fitzpatrick (2019), Za'Darius Smith (2023) and Haason Reddick (2024) all hired new agents because they were trying to get traded.
Sanders currently finds himself as the backup quarterback in Cleveland after losing a competition for the starting job to veteran Deshaun Watson. Coach Todd Monken's decision to start Watson was not unexpected, but nonetheless disappointing to Sanders.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders reacts on the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Sanders has mostly stepped back into the shadows as most backup quarterbacks do. But it is no secret around the league that he wants to play and believes he can help a team.
That opportunity, however, doesn’t appear to be on the horizon in Cleveland.
Watson, 31, hasn't been great in leading the Browns to a 3-2 record. But he hasn’t been a disaster, either.
His seven touchdown passes match the totals of Josh Allen and Sam Darnold. And he has fewer interceptions (2) than either player.
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Watson's 94.1 passer rating is also not spectacular, but it is better than the likes of Drake Maye, Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Hurts and even Matthew Stafford.
And, yes, Cleveland's 93 total points is bottom 10 in the league. But some of that is surely on the fact the Browns offensive line has been inconsistent, coach Todd Monken's offense is a work in progress and the running game is middling.
The point is the picture of the Browns' offense is not one that suggests Watson is on the verge of getting benched and Sanders promoted.
Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will each get preseason starts as the Browns try to settle one of the NFL's most intriguing quarterback battles. (Diamond Images/Getty Images)
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So what does a player who believes he should be playing somewhere else do? He can grit his teeth, stay quiet and do nothing.
Or he can grit his teeth, stay quiet and hire an agent to do something on his behalf. The new agent would then deal with the team on the player's behalf in requesting a trade — which is rarely a pleasant conversation.
It makes sense if Sanders wants an opportunity elsewhere, he hire someone to make that case on his behalf instead of fighting the battle himself.
The NFL's trade deadline is Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. So, yes, the timing of the agent hiring raises eyebrows.
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