If Shedeur Sanders thought he was going to be the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns just because, he might have another thing coming. According to latest reports, the fact is the team might see another name as the favorite to be under center in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
According to Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network, Deshaun Watson is the favorite to be the Browns QB1 in 2026. New head coach Todd Monken already stated that the Browns have an “open competititon” to be the starter, but now, it’s Watson’s job for the taking according to the reports.
This might leave Shedeur Sanders a bit shocked as, when Monken’s was first announced, everyone thought he was going to appoint Sanders as his QB1 after this interaction.
Watson has the last chance at redemption this year
Watson is returning from a torn Achilles he suffered in 2024, and he is in the final year of the infamous record-setting deal he signed in 2022. The Browns are pretty much forced to have him on the roster, because releasing him would mean a $131 million hit in dead cap money.
While Deshaun Watson’s days as an elite quarterback are behind him, it’s not like Shedeur Sanders has lit the NFL on fire. So, if Watson is somehow able to regain some of the fire he had during his early years, he should be able to beat Sanders and be a starting QB once more.
The Browns have plenty to fix besides QB
While having a top-tier quarterback is always the best way to set a franchise into success, the Browns need much more. First, they need to regain the explosiveness on the ground, and that is by recovering running back Quinshon Judkins, who suffered a leg injury last season.
Then, watching stellar defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz leave the team is not an easy name to replace. However, the defensive talent on the roster might be enough to mask Schwartz’s absence. The fact is that, yes, the Browns need to find their QB1, but other things need to be assessed too if they want to turng things around.