Cleveland Browns Youth Movement Is On, Which Is Why They Should Start Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns have signaled that Deshaun Watson is leading their quarterback race. But the rest of their organizational decisions point to turning the page.

Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Heading into the offseason, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry set out to make his roster one of the youngest in the NFL.

It materialized, as the Browns have a top five young roster in the NFL. It makes sense following Berry’s stellar 2025 draft class consisting of key youngsters like Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins, Carson Schwesinger and Harold Fannin Jr. Cleveland’s incoming draft class expected Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren to make big contributions as rookies.

On Monday, the Browns traded superstar defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for pass rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick. Verse was the gem of the trade, as the Browns valued him worth more than a first-round pick. 

Verse is 25 years old and fits Cleveland’s timeline. He’ll join the young nucleus that Berry has assembled over the last four draft classes.

So, why would the Browns start Deshaun Watson?

According to reports, Watson is ahead of Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland’s quarterback competition. New Browns head coach Todd Monken has stated he’s open to a clean slate for Watson, who is routinely the first quarterback up in the team’s drills at OTAs. 

The elephant in the room is the Browns paying Watson the final $46 million of his disastrous $230 million contract.

But other than financial reasons, what reason does Watson have to start over Sanders?

The Browns are a data-driven organization. Watson hasn’t finished a complete season since 2020. Since he led the league in passing, Watson voluntarily sat out a full season, was suspended 11 games, broke his shoulder, ruptured his Achilles tendon twice and was sidelined for another full year while rehabbing that injury. There’s no data in the history of the NFL that would support that a player with that sort of time off and wear and tear on the body will ever return to top form. 

Watson has started just 19 games with the Browns since the controversial trade to Cleveland in 2022. Even if he’s named the starting quarterback in 2026, there’s little reason to believe that he’d be able to finish a complete season.

Sanders showed flashes during his rookie season. Even though he threw 10 interceptions compared to seven touchdown passes and was sacked 23 times in seven starts, Sanders showed just enough for fans to be curious about seeing more. 

Monken noted that Sanders has made plenty of progress this offseason, which makes the former Colorado quarterback even more polarizing. 

An anonymous AFC scout told Browns On SI that last year’s body of work will be the story of Sanders’ career – some tremendously fun moments followed by mind-boggling mistakes. 

"We're in the development business — let's not kid ourselves what business we're in," Monken said after an OTA practice in May.

If the Browns are truly in the business of player development, starting Sanders would be the smartest path forward for the organization. 

With two first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, the Browns are primed to find their quarterback of the future in 2027. Before that, the Browns should take one more serious look at Sanders with an offseason worth of preparation and see if the offense can find an early season spark with their new head coach.