The Cleveland Browns are in a position where they must decide between two subpar options at quarterback in Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, but the opportunity to bring in a signal-caller from elsewhere is still on the table.
Mina Kimes of ESPN brought up that possibility during the Tuesday, August 18 edition of her podcast after watching the Browns first preseason contest against the Chicago Bears.
“I can not really fathom, personally, having a strong opinion about what’s better for the Browns [between Sanders and Watson]. I think the real debate is whether they should have gone outside the building [to find a QB], or if they should still do that,” Kimes said. “Tyson Bagent, the Bears’ backup, looks better than both of them to me.”
Bagent is under contract for the next two seasons on a $10 million deal, which could put him in the QB1 seat in Cleveland in 2026 and allow him to start the following year under center until whichever rookie QB the Browns draft (likely in Round 1) is ready to play.
The rub is the Bears are likely to ask for a Day 2 asset for Bagent, which is a steep price if the Browns intend to spend their top selection in 2027 on a player they hope will be the franchise quarterback sooner than later.
Browns Poised to Ruin 2 Good Draft Classes With Bad QB Play
GettyCleveland Browns wide receiver KC Concepcion.
Kevin Clark, also of ESPN and Kimes’ co-host Tuesday, challenged the merits of a trade in Cleveland given the quality of the players the Browns might actually be able to acquire and the team’s longterm goals with a strong 2027 class of QBs projected to become available next April.
“I don’t think any of those quarterbacks change much,” Clark responded after Kimes also floated Spencer Rattler and Anthony Richardson as options for Cleveland. “And they actually might hurt, because I think the priority is on getting Arch Manning, CJ Carr, Darian Mensah, John Mateer this time next year.”
Kimes acquiesced, but pushed back by noting how good rookie wide receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion have already looked this offseason, along with how well the Browns have drafted over the past two years.
“The reason why I’m even like making this a thing is because my overwhelming reaction was like, ‘God, these receivers are fun,’” Kimes explained. “I think they have drafted extremely well. … I was watching this game thinking, ‘God, I wish they had a quarterback,’ because right now this is a really fun situation.”
“It kinda feels wasted, and I understand they’re waiting until next year,” she added. “It’s just a bummer.”
Shedeur Sanders Most Sensible Starting QB for Browns in 2026
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
One area in which Kimes and Clark agreed completely was that Sanders makes more sense as the starter in Cleveland Week 1 than does Watson.
Both noted Watson’s hesitancy to push the football down the field, even to open wide receivers, in the preseason opener against Chicago. Meanwhile, Kimes mentioned that Watson doesn’t look anything like the player he was with the Houston Texans before joining the Browns, particularly after tearing his Achilles tendon twice since his last regular season action in October 2024.
Sanders is probably the most likely candidate currently on the roster to remain with the Browns longterm as a QB2, with sixth-round rookie Taylen Green being a possibility as well. Watson’s contract ends following this season, while Dillon Gabriel makes sense as a trade chip ahead of Week 1 if any team needs to add a reserve due to either a cut or an injury problem.
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