Reports have come out saying that Shedeur Sanders has been closing the gap in the quarterback battle between him and Deshaun Watson. It represents a swing of the pendulum back in his direction after Watson appeared to have a substantial lead earlier this offseason, and the youngster’s improvement could be the reason why new head coach Todd Monken hasn’t made a decision just yet.
Quarterback controversies are becoming all too familiar for this fan base, but hopefully this is the last one for many years. Everyone has an opinion on the battle given the fact that there aren’t projected to be many QB battles in the NFL this offseason and this one just so happens to be between two household names.
During a recent episode of Deebo & Joe, former Browns legend Joe Haden shared that despite Sanders turning up the heat lately, Watson is still likely going to be the guy because the owner wants him to play.
“The only reason why I say Deshaun Watson is because I think the owner wants him to play. Right now, I think it’s a legitimate competition. I’m letting it play out. There’s time. There’s reps. I’m loving the fact that Shedeur is coming in, balling, doing what he has to do, not talking. He’s just working,” said Haden.
It’s a nuanced and thoughtful take that is hard to disagree with. Most fans want Sanders to be the starter and would agree that he is handling this situation the right way, and Haden isn’t wrong in pointing out that ownership likely wants Watson to play.
Starting Watson would allow ownership to see if it can finally get some ROI on this massive investment, and it would also finally open up a potential trade window if Watson plays well. On the field, his mobility could fit into Monken’s offense better than Sanders’ would, as Sanders scrambles only to extend plays and not to move the chains like Watson has in the past.
Hopefully, Monken makes a decision much earlier than Kevin Stefanski did last year. The odds are that both will start at some point in 2026, but it would be easier to open the season with Watson having his last chance than to potentially have to bench Sanders for him.
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