The Cleveland Browns had plenty of questions to address this offseason. They seem to have answered some of them sufficiently, rebuilding their offensive line and improving their wide receivers.
But the Browns were unable or unwilling to do anything about their troubling quarterback situation. They did not add a veteran, even though there were rumors linking them to Malik Willis, Kirk Cousins, Anthony Richardson and Kyler Murray at various times during the offseason.
Then, in the 2026 NFL Draft, holding the No. 6 overall pick, there was no quarterback worthy of that selection, so the Browns traded down and took offensive tackle Spencer Fano at No. 9. Cleveland did select Taylen Green in the sixth round, but he is seen as a developmental project who may be a couple of years away from taking the field.
With that in mind, insider Zac Jackson of The Athletic is raising the biggest question facing the Browns in 2026, and it can be nothing other than their QB competition.
“Who’s going to be the quarterback?” Jackson wrote. “Would the Browns actually go back to Deshaun Watson, who hasn’t played since October of 2024? They shouldn’t, but they might. The best option for a team pushing all of its chips into the future is second-year man Shedeur Sanders, who showed some good and some bad in starting the final seven games of his rookie season. Sanders finished the spring strong but didn’t thoroughly outplay Watson, so the battle will resume in late July and continue into August.”
New head coach Todd Monken had said he wanted to have a starting QB in place before training camp opens in late July. But the battle between Watson and Sanders will go on longer than that after Sanders made up considerable ground during minicamps and OTAs this spring.
That could indicate that Monken truly believes that the players are close in ability, and he needs more time to decide. Or, it could mean that neither one has played well enough to earn the job by now, and he wants someone to step up and show that they deserve it.
Watson has played in just seven NFL games since November 2023 due to shoulder and Achilles injuries. Though he appears healthy and motivated, he will turn 31 years old in September and is unlikely to be Cleveland’s QB after this season.
Sanders might be on the upswing, with noticeable improvement in his game. But he may still have the shortcomings that led to him being a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and posting one of the worst QBR numbers in recent history in his limited playing time.
Perhaps the bigger and better question would be regarding which QB the Browns prefer in the talented 2027 NFL Draft.
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