The Cleveland Browns are starting training camp, and the clock is ticking loudly. After months of speculation and rumors, Todd Monken could be close to choosing the team’s starting quarterback for 2026.
Nearly all reports have said the QB1 race is between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. However, speaking on ESPN Cleveland, Aaron Goldhammer said one of the two could be gone when the regular season kicks off in the fall.
He claims that either Sanders or Dillon Gabriel could be booted from the team.
“I’m just gonna look at Andrew Berry’s recent track record for this. He comes in with four; he gets rid of one every year. Based on what they’ve done in the past and the way this sets up, I think by the time we go to Jacksonville, either Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders will not be on the Browns anymore,” Goldhammer said.
"I think by the time we go to Jacksonville, either Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders will not be on the Browns anymore," – @HammerNation19 on the Browns QB room 😯 pic.twitter.com/stpcHOAY3l
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 29, 2026
The Browns will likely cut down from four to three QBs soon. They just drafted Taylen Green, so it doesn’t make any sense to lose him. As for Watson, his contract is massive and therefore very hard to move to another team. On top of that, many insiders have said he is the frontrunner to land the top job in Cleveland.
That leaves just Sanders and Gabriel. There have been plenty of rumors about both of these players. Most have said Gabriel is the more likely candidate for a trade, but Sanders’ place on the roster isn’t entirely safe either. If the Browns have decided they truly don’t have a future with Sanders, they may trade him instead of making him sit on the bench for months and chip away at his trade value.
A lot of people thought the offseason would end with Watson as the starter and Sanders behind him playing backup.
Sanders could be leaving Cleveland, although that might be Gabriel’s fate instead.
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