Predicting How Cleveland Browns Quarterback Competition Will Play Out

The Cleveland Browns started formal organized offseason activities on Tuesday, with a big focus on the quarterback competition.

As the Browns report to OTAs, all eyes will be on Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, who are currently competing to become Cleveland’s starting quarterback.

The Browns have already done plenty of classroom work to install new head coach Todd Monken’s offense, but Tuesday marks the first day the team will be allowed to get on the field together. Even though these OTA sessions are voluntary for players, Cleveland’s coaching staff will be keeping a close eye on Watson and Sanders, who will both be in attendance.

According to reports from cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, Watson currently has an inside edge to win the starting job. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler backed up this report, stating that Watson has hit it off with Monken since arriving in Berea and could be in line for one final chance.

Monken has stated that he’d like to announce Cleveland’s starting quarterback by the end of mandatory minicamp on June 11. Even though that’s a soft deadline, it’s already getting clearer at how the Browns quarterback room looks like it might shake out at this point.

Watson QB1 – for now

Of course things can change, but right now, it certainly feels like Watson is primed to be Cleveland’s starting quarterback in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The league scheduled the Browns with rare back-to-back road games to open the season. This softens things for Watson, who would be undoubtedly booed by home fans at Huntington Bank Field, and gives the 30-year-old an opportunity to showcase some talent before returning to Cleveland for the home opener in Week 3.

Last year, Browns general manager Andrew Berry tried a reclamation project by trading for Kenny Pickett, a failed first-round pick. This has been a huge trend in the NFL, as Sam Darnold just won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks after being labeled as a first-round bust while ex-Browns QB Baker Mayfield is flourishing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But Pickett couldn’t get healthy enough for Cleveland’s coaching staff to get an extended look at him, paving the way for Joe Flacco to assume the starting quarterback job. It also created a runway for the Browns to start Dillon Gabriel and Sanders, two mid-round dart throws, during their rookie seasons.

In 2026, Watson could be Cleveland’s reclamation project. Kevin Stefanski could never make it work with Watson, so they replaced him with Monken to give their $230 million investment one final chance now that he’s healthy.

If it works? Berry has already said there’s nothing against extending Watson, even though his full body of work indicates that another injury should be expected. If it doesn’t? The Browns are finally free from the worst trade in sports history heading into a loaded 2027 draft class.

Sanders QB2 – on standby

The last time Watson completed a full season was 2019, before the league expanded its schedule from 16 to 17 games.

Since then, the controversial quarterback voluntarily sidelined himself during his last year with the Houston Texans before serving an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Watson’s first season following the suspension with the Browns was cut short to just six games in 2023 due to a broken shoulder. In 2024, he finally got healthy before rupturing his Achilles twice, requiring another full season off to rehabilitate that injury.

Even though Watson and the Browns are publicly open-minded about what the future holds for what has been a disappointing four-year run in Cleveland, the team can’t actually be that naive that he’ll stay healthy or find consistent success.

Even if Watson is named the Week 1 starter, it’s difficult to project a world where he plays all 17 games. His injury history is one thing. But in 2024, even when he was fully healthy prior to rupturing his Achilles tendon for the first time, he was the worst quarterback in the NFL.

At some point, especially with a difficult road schedule to start the season, the Browns could turn back to Sanders, who showcased some flashes during his seven starts as a rookie.

Taylen Green assumes QB3 and Gabriel is voted off the island

It’s difficult to imagine a world where the Browns would be able to release their sixth-round pick, Green, in order to sneak him onto the practice squad. Instead, the 6-foot-6 quarterback should remain on the roster to continue development and become Cleveland’s emergency third QB on game days.

That would leave Gabriel to be traded or released.

If the Browns release him, they could keep Gabriel on the practice squad if he’s not claimed on waivers. If they trade him, it’d likely be for a future Day 3 pick, adding to Berry’s war chest.

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