The Cleveland Browns have found themselves in familiar territory heading into the 2026 NFL season. They still do not have a clear picture of their quarterback situation, as Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson are the two main guys fighting to be QB1.
Sanders is still a younger and largely unproven player, while Watson has had plenty of time in the NFL to showcase what he can do. When he’s been fully healthy and on the field, he’s looked like one of the best at the position, but Browns fans haven’t seen that side of him yet.
With that in mind, there has been plenty of discussion and debate about who should start for this team in Week 1, and the fanbase appears to be split on this decision. Former Browns player Joe Haden gave his two cents in a recent episode of “Deebo & Joe,” noting that he’s a fan of the way Watson has approached this situation, especially during this offseason.
“I do love the way he’s going about this. People are going to feel the way they feel about you regardless. All you can do is work and show the people, your teammates, your coaches, the people in the building, none of this stuff matters. All you’re trying to do is be the best quarterback you can be,” Haden said.
To Haden, Watson’s mindset is the right one. He can’t control what other people think about him, both as a player and as an individual. At this point, all Watson can do is be the best version of himself that he can be, giving his all at team practices and showing his teammates that he’s worthy of becoming QB1.
The Browns’ offense is going to look drastically different in 2026 than it did in 2025 due to multiple factors, so it could be a great time to throw Watson back in the mix and see what he can do. New head coach Todd Monken comes from the Baltimore Ravens, who have had a dynamic offense for the past several seasons, so he could be a massive agent of change for this offense to get back on the right track.
If Watson can play anywhere close to how he did during his tenure with the Houston Texans, the Browns’ offense could be in for a major overhaul in the right direction. Only time will tell, of course, but his ceiling could be something for Browns fans to get excited about after a frustrating 2025 campaign.
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