One of the more interesting components of the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback competition is that there are compelling arguments for both Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders as to why either should be the starter. A key facet of them is the timeline that the Browns consider themselves to be on.
If the organization wants to get a better idea of Sanders’ potential and his future as a long-term solution, then he should be the choice regardless of how he performs this preseason. But if the team wants to win games and possibly make a long-shot bid for a playoff berth in Todd Monken’s first year as head coach, Watson may prove to be the better choice based on his experience and former level of play.
FOX Sports analyst Eric Williams revealed why he believes the Browns should start Sanders this season, though his reasoning does not perfectly apply to Cleveland’s situation.
“Sanders is a cost-effective developmental option Browns can build around,” Williams wrote. “Moving forward, Sanders must show he can be the long-term answer at quarterback, allowing [general manager Andrew] Berry and the Browns to continue to build the team around a young developmental prospect and taking advantage of a quarterback on a rookie deal. The San Francisco 49ers used the same strategy with Brock Purdy with similar success, as did the Seattle Seahawks during back-to-back Super Bowl runs. Both teams had plans to go with other quarterback options – Trey Lance in San Francisco and Matt Flynn in Seattle — but used later-round picks on developmental quarterbacks that blossomed into frontline starters to lead their respective teams to deep postseason runs in the earlier portions of their careers.”
It needs to be stated that neither the 49ers nor the Seahawks had the long and dubious history with their quarterbacks that the Browns have with Watson. Also, the financial commitment and Cleveland’s ability to get out of it do not compare.
The Seahawks selected Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, despite signing Flynn as a free agent earlier that offseason. Wilson outplayed Flynn that preseason, earned the starting job, and, complemented by the Legion of Boom defense, won Super Bowl LXVIII before losing Super Bowl LXIX. It can be argued that the Browns’ current defense could help Cleveland mirror this scenario if Sanders can reach the level of play that Wilson did.
The 49ers famously selected Purdy as the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, one year after taking Lance No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Jimmy Garoppolo had quarterbacked San Francisco to the Super Bowl as recently as the 2019 season, and it was still a perennial contender when Lance and Purdy were added.
The Browns have been nowhere close to the Super Bowl in recent seasons. It is wishful thinking to believe that Sanders has a chance to get them there on his rookie contract, with Watson’s salary cap charges still a burden extending into the future.
So, even though Sanders may be the correct long-term choice over Watson, there are other rationales for making that case.
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