Chad Ochocinco Might’ve Announced Cleveland Browns Starting Quarterback

A former AFC North wide receiver could have an inside source on whether Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson will start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

Feb 21, 2024; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Bengals former wide receiver Chad Ochocinco Johnson (85) arrives for a Major League Soccer match featuring Real Salt Lake and Inter Miami CF at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns are letting the quarterback battle between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson go into training camp.

Even though the Browns won’t return to Berea until the end of July, Chad Johnson, sometimes better known as Ochocinco, might’ve just leaked Cleveland’s starting quarterback plans.

"Deshaun Watson is the starting QB for the Cleveland Browns," Johnson said on the popular Nightcap Podcast. “It is his job to lose. He has six weeks. I guarantee you. He has six weeks to make sure that team is playing above or better than whatever the expectations might be for that team and that quarterback. If he’s not, Shedeur Sanders will fall in line as the backup and be the starter for the remainder of the season.”

According to the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Watson will be named the starting quarterback of the Browns. He’ll have Cleveland’s first six games to deliver positive results in a retooled offense. If not? Sanders will be taking over as the backup quarterback.

Internet sleuths uncovered that a few days ago, Ochocinco was photographed with Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who some are assuming gave the former NFL wide receiver this information for his podcast.

How this lines up with Todd Monken’s actual plans

At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Browns head coach Todd Monken explained that in a dream world, Cleveland’s starting quarterback would be set coming out of mandatory veteran minicamp.

But as Cleveland’s offseason program wrapped up, Monken said that he’s seen encouraging enough progression from both quarterbacks and the competition would be continuing to play on.

Watson is 30 and led the league in passing during the 2020 season. Since arriving in Cleveland in a controversial trade in 2022, Watson has struggled to stay healthy. Even when he was healthy in 2024, Watson was one of the worst statistical quarterbacks in the NFL.

Sanders showed positive flashes during his first seven starts as a rookie last season. Unfortunately, he finished the year with 10 interceptions compared to seven touchdowns and was sacked 23 times. When Sanders finally earned his opportunity, he was playing behind a decimated offensive line and had one of the worst wide receiver position groups in the NFL.

So both quarterbacks got a clean slate with a new head coach in Monken.

Maybe the 60-year-old head coach already has his mind made up on who will be Cleveland’s starting quarterback. It was believed that Watson had an inside edge on the job due to his veteran status and expensive final year of his disastrous contract.

But Sanders had come on strong throughout the offseason, making Monken think very hard about this decision that will undoubtedly shape the way this Browns season unfolds.