The Cleveland Browns will start rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders on Sunday afternoon against the Las Vegas Raiders but the team is already looking ahead to next year’s draft for potential quarterback help. Despite giving Sanders and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel opportunities this season, the Browns are expected to create competition at the position in 2026.
Cleveland Plain Dealer Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot was on 92.3 FM The Fan in Cleveland on Tuesday afternoon, talking about the future of the Browns’ quarterback position. Cabot said the Browns could be taking a quarterback in the first round, creating another crowded quarterback room and competition.
“There is going to be a learning curve there for a young guy, depending on who you draft,” Cabot said. “But if you have enough pieces around him and you have a good enough defense and you have a running game, you might be able to support a really, really good rookie quarterback next year. So they will draft one in 2026. They’ve been crisscrossing the country scouring and scouting these quarterbacks. I believe they will draft one in the first round with one of their picks or both of their picks or however they work that out.”
Cabot also said the Browns could do what they did this past offseason and bring in a veteran quarterback to begin the season while the rookie quarterback watches and learns from the sideline, as they did with Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco this past offseason. Cabot added that decision could come down to how Sanders and Gabriel play in the remaining games this season.
Then there is the question about what role Deshaun Watson will. Watson, who signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract in 2022, is close to fully recovering from an Achilles injury that has kept him on injured reserve all season. Cabot believes there could be some role for Watson, even as the bridge quarterback.
“He will be around next year,” Cabot said. “I’ve been writing this. I don’t know if people are noticing that or not, but I have been writing that Deshaun Watson is going to be on the football team next year in 2026. Maybe he’s your veteran something or whatever. If they can demonstrate to some of these guys that they have a winning quarterback coming down the pike, then I think it changes everything.”
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