The reason the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback competition has gone on for so long is that Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders each bring different strengths to the table. Watson, as a 10-year NFL veteran, has an advantage in dealing with the intricacies of Todd Monken’s offense, while Sanders is better able to perform as the play unfolds.
As soon as one catches up to the other, the competition will likely be over, and the winner will be declared. The next step in the process comes Saturday afternoon, when Watson will start Cleveland’s preseason opener against the Chicago Bears.
Analyst Nathan Zegura revealed what will ultimately decide the Browns’ QB competition, and it will go to the player who can turn his current shortcoming into a positive.
“Before the ball is snapped, Deshaun has been the most consistent performer in that side of it. Once the ball has been snapped, Shedeur had been the most consistent performer in that regard. The last 10 days, Deshaun Watson’s been really good. Both of these guys have given you reason for optimism. The guy that’s going to, ultimately, win this job will be the one that gets them in and out of the huddle, and while mixing in those chunk plays, the layups can be layups. The best part about it for whoever ends up being the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns is that the supporting cast around them is as good as it has been in a long, long time,” Zegura said.
"The guy that's going to, ultimately, win this job is the one that gets them in and out of the huddle and while mixing in those chunk plays, the layups can be layups. The best part about it is whoever ends up being the starting QB is the supporting case around them is as good as… pic.twitter.com/7Ltbann0zj
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) August 14, 2026
Watson seems to have been making the most improvement lately, as he recently earned back-to-back first-team reps, with Monken giving him the chance to break the usual rotation. However, Sanders responded when put back in with the starters, which heightens expectations for this upcoming game.
Monken has said that Sanders will start the Browns’ second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills next Saturday. In between, there is a joint practice with the Bills on Thursday, when Watson is believed to get the work with the first team.
Of course, all of that could change if something major happens in the game against the Bears. For example, if Watson plays poorly, which is entirely possible as it will be his first live game action since October 2024, and Sanders comes in for the second half and plays well, he would have a great deal of momentum heading into the following week.
On the other hand, if Watson exceeds expectations and looks anything like the Pro Bowl QB he once was with the Houston Texans, and Sanders struggles while playing with backups, the plan could flip again. That is why the game on Saturday is much more important to Cleveland than a typical preseason contest.
By Sunday morning, everything could still be going according to plan, or it all will have changed in this ongoing saga.
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