The Cleveland Browns’ drawn-out quarterback competition has reportedly come to a conclusion that is going to leave a lot of fans disappointed. Deshaun Watson will be given the job over Shedeur Sanders, which is an outcome many people expected but did not want.
That was made clear on Saturday when Watson, playing for the first time in almost two years, was booed by his home fans as he entered the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. He did nothing to quiet them, as he had a terrible outing that led some people to believe it may have cost him the battle against Sanders.
Instead, Watson is now going to start in Week 1 of the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The veteran most likely will hold on to the role as long as he plays well.
With that in mind, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler said he believes the Browns made the right decision with Watson, saying he has “more ability” than Sanders does.
“I think it’s the right move. He’s got more ability than Shedeur Sanders, he’s a better athlete. Todd Monken’s offense requires a lot of responsibility,” Fowler said.
"I think it's the right move. He's got more ability than Shedeur Sanders, he's a better athlete, Todd Monken's offense requires a lot of responsibility," – @JFowlerESPN thinks the Browns made the right call starting Deshaun Watson at QB. pic.twitter.com/wKGfwl2pQS
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 24, 2026
That take is hard to support using Saturday as a reference. Sanders was sharp in the first half, completing his first eight passes and leading a touchdown drive. Watson, on the other hand, managed just 36 yards on 12 attempts with one interception and a passer rating of 14.6 in the 31-7 loss.
Of course, a lot has gone on leading up to this decision, dating all the way back to Watson’s return from an Achilles injury in the first minicamp in April. He has been seen as the likely choice since then, based on his NFL experience compared to Sanders’, and his former Pro Bowl form with the Houston Texans.
After experiencing ups and downs that were to be expected after such a long layoff, Watson reportedly did enough to finally convince head coach Todd Monken during a joint practice with the Bills on Thursday. Playing with the Browns’ first-team offense against the Bills’ first-team defense, Watson was able to lock down the position.
Now, the Browns will have to deal with the fallout and the questions that are sure to linger well into the 2026 campaign.
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