When Deshaun Watson was named the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback, his hold on the job wasn’t expected to last very long. Then, after five game-winning drives by the quarterback put the Browns in first place in the AFC North, it was thought that he would never let it go.
But no one can plan for an injury, especially where Watson is concerned, and that circumstance has come to pass. Watson entered concussion protocol after he experienced symptoms this week, pushing Shedeur Sanders into the starting role against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
If Sanders plays well, it could reignite talk of a quarterback competition. Despite Watson’s somewhat unexpected success so far, he still ranks among the worst quarterbacks in the league in QBR.
However, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is shutting down the Browns’ QB controversy by reporting that Watson is not in danger of being replaced.
“His job is not in jeopardy. That said, getting out of this season having a little bit of a look at Shedeur Sanders is not a bad thing,” Rapoport said.
“His job is not in jeopardy,” – @RapSheet on Deshaun Watson.
Shedeur Sanders is set to start for the Browns in week 9 against the Saints. pic.twitter.com/5dfcDO2ncd
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) November 7, 2026
It is an almost universal tenet in the NFL that a player will not lose his job because of an injury. That does not always apply at quarterback, especially if a struggling team is looking for a spark.
That is not necessarily the case for the Browns, who were off to one of the best starts in franchise history with Watson at QB. But Cleveland is coming off a discouraging 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which it failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season. In addition, Watson was sacked eight times, even though he had his Browns career-high with 324 passing yards.
Sanders has played just five snaps this season, but he is expected to benefit from this preseason’s quarterback competition, as he took his fair share of reps running the first-team offense. He will also have the advantage of facing a Saints defense that ranks 28th in the NFL in yards allowed and 29th in points allowed per game.
Ideally, Sanders will play so well that his potential permanent promotion will be worth discussing, but as of now, the Browns will be happy to welcome back Watson whenever he is cleared to play.
NEXT: Shedeur Sanders Predicted To Have A Huge Game Against Saints
