When it comes to legendary quarterbacks in Cleveland Browns history, there really are only three (with due respect to Frank Ryan), and those are the only QBs to have surpassed 20,000 yards passing in a Browns uniform: Otto Graham, Brian Sipe and Bernie Kosar. For all the opinions, observations and shouting matches that arise on talk shows and on social media, when that rare species–a Browns legendary quarterback–speaks, we should listen. Certainly, that’s the case on the Browns’ current QB dilemma, the Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson choice.
We’ve already seen plenty of chatter to suggest that Watson is leading the race to be the QB1 on Week 1 in four months. And that battle will begin next week in earnest, when the team gets started on OTAs.
But Kosar, for one, saw enough from the Browns and Sanders last year, when Sanders led Cleveland to three wins in seven games (the team had won two of its previous 10), to make Sanders his pick as the team’s quarterback in 2026.
Shedeur Sanders Had Rough 2025 Numbers
Now, the data on Sanders is not great. He threw for 1,400 yards in eight games, with seven touchdowns and a whopping 10 interceptions. His quarterback rating of 68.1 was abysmal, and Pro Football Focus rated him No. 38 out of 38 quarterbacks that were graded by the site. This was more the realm of a typical Browns quarterback in recent years than a legendary Browns quarterback.
But as Kosar sees it, the numbers posted by Sanders were not really about Sanders. They were about an awful Browns offense that could not get out of its own way, battered by injuries and ineptitude.
Browns’ Offensive Weakness, Not Shedeur Sanders, to Blame
Asked on Yahoo Sports Daily about the Browns’ quarterback situation, Kosar defended Sanders’ performance last year, and said he should be the guy to win the job in 2026–if not in Week 1, then not long after that.
Said Kosar: “I really enjoyed how Shedeur played at the end of last season. Us quarterbacks, we get a lot of credit, too much credit when we win, too much blame when we lose. … I really believe we are victims or beneficiaries of the guys around us. I am not trying to be mean or get in trouble, in the spirit of levity, but we were very devoid of talent on offense last year.
“So, for Shedeur to come in as a rook, with a really limited talent roster around him offensively, he certainly made plays. He deserves to be in this mix. I would not be surprised to see Shedeur get this opportunity early if he does not come out as the Game 1 starter.”
GettyCleveland Browns legend Bernie Kosar
Browns Set for OTA Battle
The Browns will begin their OTAs, which is the first real round of the Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders battle, next week on May 19-21. They will have more OTAs, a week later, from May 26-28, and then another set from June 2-5. Their mandatory minicamp will be held June 9-11.
Per the NFL, the “Phase Three” of OTAs, “consists of the next four weeks of the program. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, or ‘OTAs.’ No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.”
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