The Cleveland Browns will announce their starting quarterback soon, and Deshaun Watson was handed some concerning news.
Cleveland appears to be a two-horse race between Watson and Shedeur Sanders. Both quarterbacks have had moments at OTAs, and new head coach Todd Monken said he wants to name his starting quarterback before training camp.
Although no decision has been made, reports have indicated Watson appears to be the front runner. Yet, NFL analyst Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes the veteran quarterback will be benched at some point this season and lose his starting job.
“Cleveland is giving Watson one last opportunity under new head coach Todd Monken. The former Pro Bowler has a commanding lead in the quarterback competition,” Knox wrote. … “Of course, that doesn’t mean the Browns, who just traded away Myles Garrett, are prepared to win now. Unless Watson regains his Houston form and pushes Cleveland toward the playoff hunt, the Browns may want to get a look at multiple quarterbacks this season, including Sanders.
“Cleveland must decide whether it has a viable starter on its roster before diving into a 2027 draft class that may contain the likes of Dante Moore, LaNorris Sellers, Arch Manning, and Darian Mensah.”
Watson is in the final year of his five-year, $210 million deal, and him being benched at some point wouldn’t be a surprise, as the Browns will likely want another look at Sanders to see if he can be their future guy.
Todd Monken on Browns QB Competition
Cleveland has an interesting quarterback battle between Sanders and Watson.
During OTAs, Monken made it clear the quarterback competition is just between two people.
“Every day I kind of lean one way or the other with quarterbacks,” Monken said. “But we’ve still got to get to that point. Who’s going to start for us? But I’m fired up by the quarterbacks. I just tell you, we’ve got two starting-level quarterbacks. We really do.”
With the battle coming down to Watson and Sanders, Monken is hopeful to have a decision soon.
“In a perfect world, you’d love to have your starting quarterback,” said Monken. “You’d love to have your o-line set, I’m not sure we’ll be there. I’m just not. I think both quarterbacks have played well enough, where we haven’t really been in pads, we haven’t played any games yet, haven’t really got to that point yet.”
The Browns open their 2026 NFL season on Sept. 13 on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Cleveland Giving Watson a Clean Slate
The Browns traded for Watson, which was a blockbuster deal, but it hasn’t panned out.
Watson has dealt with a plethora of injuries, but ahead of his comeback, Monken said he’s putting the veteran quarterback on a clean slate.
“I’m all for a clean slate,” Monken said. “I think it’s really cool that he still has an opportunity with a change to showcase his ability and show where he’s at. I’m all for it.”
Watson is a three-time Pro Bowler, showing he can be a high-level quarterback.
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