Grading All 3 Cleveland Browns Quarterbacks Following Ugly Preseason Opener

Three Cleveland Browns quarterbacks took the field Saturday in what ended up being a rough performance for the entire team.

Aug 15, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks to pass the ball against the Chicago Bears during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Browns opened the 2026 preseason with an absolute clunker, falling by a final of 34-10 to the Chicago Bears. There were some bright spots, such as the play of rookie KC Concepcion, but in general it was a rough outing.

While every position needs a thorough review, fans were locked in on the battle happening at the quarterback position. So how did each quarterback perform and what grade do they deserve?

Deshaun Watson Grade: C

Deshaun Watson appears to be firmly set in the top spot by default. He did go 11/15 for 126 yards, but averaged just 8.4 yards per completion. He also lost an ugly fumble as the offensive line was under duress from the start.

Bears DE Jamree Kromah forces the Deshaun Watson fumble on 4th down 😤

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The veteran did the little things right and did hit on most of his short passes. There was just not enough of the playbook to give him a proper evaluation. The turnover takes him from about a C+ down to a C in the gradebook.

Shedeur Sanders Grade: C-

Shedeur Sanders opened the second half with a beautiful 24-yard pass to Gage Larvadain. He then proceeded to fumble the next snap. To his credit, he followed up that fumble with a strike to local receiver Luke Floriea for 24 yards.

The Browns ended up getting stuffed in the red zone as the line could not get enough push up front to support the running game.

Sanders was not looking great, but he was also not looking terrible until he lofted an interception early in the fourth quarter.

Beanie Bishop Jr. gets the INT

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Shedeur was under pressure and seemed to have his body angled for a deep ball when he needed to go underneath. It was an ugly interception and a reminder of his inexperience.

Dillon Gabriel Grade: D+

Dillon Gabriel did not stand much of a chance by the time he entered the game in the fourth quarter. He averaged 2.9 yards per completion on 5/8 passing and also tossed a hideous interception that had no chance of success.

Beanie Bishop Jr. gets his second INT of the second half!

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Who exactly he was throwing to remains a mystery.

All three signal-callers combined to go 22/36 for 206 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and one lost fumble. The only touchdown on offense came via a great run by rookie receiver Concepcion, who already looks like a star in the making.

Browns fans were waiting for this game and get to spend the rest of the weekend with far more questions than answers regarding the quarterback battle. Right now, Watson may hold the job by default for having the least bad performance.