Deshaun Watson Reportedly Has Edge Over Shedeur Sanders In Bleak Browns' QB Competition

The least inspiring option in the Browns’ QB race reportedly has the “inside track” to becoming the starter.

Deshaun Watson reportedly has the “inside track” toward becoming the Browns’ starter. | Lisa Scalfaro / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Days after the Browns brought promise back to the franchise by selecting OL Spencer Fano, WR KC Concepcion, WR Denzel Boston and S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren with their first four picks in the 2026 NFL draft, they quickly dissolved any good feeling those selections brought.

The start of the Browns’ draft went so well they were even receiving the grade of “winner” by some analysts, a word that has not consistently been associated with the franchise since the late 1980s, if not the 1960s. Unfamiliar—and perhaps uncomfortable with this term—the Browns appear ready to make a move that would revert them back to their usual title of “loser.”

That’s right, the Browns might be turning back to Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback. Nothing is official yet, but according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Watson has gained the edge over Shedeur Sanders in the team’s quarterback competition after voluntary minicamp last week, with the “inside track” toward becoming the Browns’ starter once again. Per Cabot, head coach Todd Monken is looking to determine who the Browns’ starter will be by the end of their minicamp from June 9-11.

Browns executive JW Johnson said during an appearance on ESPN Cleveland this week, “Deshaun looks great by the way. He's done a great job, he looks healthy, he's in a great head space. We’ll see how it all shakes out, there is an ongoing competition. He’s got nothing to lose and if he’s our starting quarterback, I know there are people that probably won’t be supportive, but they should need to be supportive as much as they can. If he plays great, awesome. If he doesn’t, it is what it is and we’re looking ahead to the future.”

"Deshaun looks great by the way, he's done a great job, he looks healthy, he's in a great head space," - @JDubsIII on Browns QB Deshaun Watson. pic.twitter.com/F819UFXnEy

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 29, 2026

Even though Watson did not play last season due to injury and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam admitted last year that the trade for Watson was a “swing and a miss,” Watson could once again be starting for the Browns.

Beyond the many, many moral implications of platforming Watson again as the starting quarterback—which cannot and should not be overlooked—starting Watson does little to benefit the present or future versions of the Cleveland Browns.

It’s been over five seasons since Watson last played good football, when he led the NFL in passing yards in 2020 and was named to a third consecutive Pro Bowl. Even then, the Texans went just 4-12 with him starting. He did lead Houston to playoff appearances in '18 and ‘19, but he is far off from that caliber of player at this point.

Following the '20 season, sexual assault allegations against Watson emerged from over 22 different women. Watson did not play in '21, and was traded to the Browns in during the next offseason. He was suspended for the first 11 games of the '22 campaign before finally seeing the field for Cleveland. He has yet to play in more than seven games in a season for the Browns, and when he last played in '24, he completed 63.4% of his passes for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.

During that '24 season, Watson ranked 45th of 47 qualifying quarterbacks with at least 100 plays in EPA per play and 46th in success rate among qualifying players. Per Ben Solak of ESPN, Watson’s '24 season ranked 902nd out of 907 in yards per dropback this century.

Simply put, Watson has not played well in years, and should not be counted on to reverse course. Even if he somehow defies the odds and plays well enough for the Browns to win, there’s still no “winning” by starting him. The Browns aren’t a Super Bowl team, he’s not the long-term answer at quarterback, a face of the franchise or someone much of the fanbase wants to root for anyway.

While Sanders is far from establishing himself as the future of the Browns at quarterback, there is at least a glimmer of hope and unseen potential with him. Sanders might not have been drafted until the fifth round last year, but many believed he was worthy of at least a Day 2 pick. By starting Sanders, the Browns can see any potential before they likely make a more permanent move at quarterback next offseason. At the very worst with Sanders at the helm, the Browns lose as many already anticipate they will, and end up with a premium selection in what is supposed to be a stellar '27 quarterback class as Watson's contract finally ends.

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