Insider’s Browns QB Prediction Is Already Sparking A Fierce Debate

The Cleveland Browns have about four months to decide who their starting quarterback will be for the 2026 NFL season. That should give them plenty of time to evaluate all of the contenders and determine the best choice.

It will also give analysts and fans ample opportunity to watch the competition between Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel and come up with their own idea about who should get the job. Then, there’s the matter of that QB keeping it for the entire 17-game campaign.

Insider Tony Grossi recently predicted how many games each Browns quarterback will start this season, and he gave a significant edge to Watson.

“It’s impossible to predict. Nevertheless, Watson 12, Sanders 4, Gabriel 1, [Taylen] Green 0,” Grossi wrote.

Based on observations from the Browns’ offseason workouts, Grossi may be on to something. Watson reportedly looked “phenomenal” taking the majority of reps at a recent practice as the veteran works his way back to the field for the first time in almost two years.

That aligns with reports from earlier this offseason that the Browns’ decision on a starting QB was trending toward Watson. The 30-year-old has not played in a game since injuring his Achilles in 2024 and suffering a setback in his recovery that kept him sidelined all of last season.

That situation, and the eventual trading away of Joe Flacco, allowed both Gabriel and Sanders to start multiple games as rookies. Gabriel was given the first chance at the job and made six starts before being placed in concussion protocol. Sanders took over and made the final seven starts of the season.

Neither Gabriel nor Sanders truly distinguished himself with his play, leaving the job up for grabs in Todd Monken’s first year as head coach. Cleveland also selected Green in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but he is seen as a developmental project rather than a contender for playing time this year.

Many factors will have an effect on the accuracy of Grossi’s prediction, primarily injuries and performance, and it will be a storyline to watch throughout the entire schedule.