The Cleveland Browns are in the midst of OTAs, giving their players and coaches a chance to get the first glimpses of what next season may look like. This is an opportunity for the players to impress and prove why they should be on the field.
A lot of attention is being paid to Deshaun Watson, who is competing to be the team’s starting quarterback in 2026. Speaking on ESPN Cleveland, Tony Rizzo talked about Watson’s performance in OTAs so far.
According to Rizzo, Watson is looking great, and that speaks well to his future with the team.
“Watson looks really good, he does. I know it’s OTAs, but that’s all I have to go by,” Rizzo said.
"Watson looks really good, he does, I know it's OTAs, but that's all I have to go by," – Rizz on what he's seeing from Browns OTAs. https://t.co/VCNbTlXw0J pic.twitter.com/5joHZLc41P
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 28, 2026
Rizzo also noted that Shedeur Sanders is looking stellar, and he predicted that he will be on the field in the new season too. But, like many others, Rizzo is paying more and more attention to Watson and how he is playing.
During the team’s second practice session, Watson threw six touchdowns and went 11 of 17 on his completions. Sanders was no slouch, with his 8 of 14 and one touchdown. Both players had one interception. Meanwhile, Dillon Gabriel had one of three completions.
The narrative around the race for QB1 continues to grow, and it seems that Watson is becoming the frontrunner to come out on top. Although many fans want head coach Todd Monken to make the choice that will result in the most wins, there are plenty of people who just want to put an end to the Watson era.
OTAs are producing a small sample size, but it’s been enough to turn heads and convince people that Watson is on the right path. He is clearly healthy and driven. There is still time for Sanders to overcome Watson, but it feels like time could be running out, and the Browns may be getting closer to making their final decision.
Looking really good in OTAs is obviously important, but the only thing that really matters is how great Watson can look on the field during the regular season.
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