Myles Garrett Says Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson Will Both Get a Shot to Start

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The 2026 NFL season is approximately seven months away, but it's never too early to talk about the Browns starting quarterback situation. Shedeur Sanders was there to greet new coach Todd Monken at the team facilities last week, but Monken did not name him the starter in his introductory press conference despite the fact that the QB made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
Meanwhile, Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett was a guest on Micah Parsons's podcast over the weekend. Parsons asked Garrett about the team's quarterback room and whether or not Sanders was "the guy." Garrett sounded optimistic, but was quickly taken by surprise with a follow-up question about another quarterback on the roster.
"We're going to give [Shedeur Sanders] a shot to prove that he's the guy"
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 10, 2026
Myles Garrett weighs in on the Browns QB situation pic.twitter.com/7ZTmKMK1d1
"That's who we're looking at as a guy," Garrett said of Sanders. "You know, we're going to give him a shot to prove that he's the guy. We're not going to give anyone that title until they go out there and earn it. You know, he was the last person to be on the field, and he showed some flashes, so we're going to give him an opportunity to show what he can really do."
Parsons then asked about Deshaun Watson, saying, "You're paying another guy $46 million. Is he gonna get a shot?" The remark got an audible reaction from the crowd as Garrett blinked and tried to figure out the best way to answer the question.
"I feel like everyone on the roster is going to get a shot," Garrett said. "[Sanders] was the last guy on the field, so he's obviously going to get first serve. Deshaun, whoever else is on the roster, is gonna get a real look."
Garrett sounded like a coach answering both questions, so it will be interesting to see if he's right. Last March, after he signed that very big contract, he said that he knew what the Browns' plans were at quarterback and seemed very happy about them. At the time, people thought he might be talking about Russell Wilson, but instead, the Browns signed Joe Flacco, drafted Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, and went 5-12.
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Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.
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