The Cleveland Browns closed out a tough 5-12 season with rookie Shedeur Sanders under center, and the questions that followed him through seven starts have not gone away. The fifth-round pick showed real arm talent in flashes, including a record-setting 364-yard, four-touchdown game against Tennessee in Week 14, but his 7-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio and inconsistent efficiency left plenty of room for debate.
With new head coach Todd Monken replacing Kevin Stefanski and the 2026 offseason now underway, what happens next at quarterback in Cleveland may be the most important story in the NFL. One fresh statement from the front office just turned up the heat.
Andrew Berry Declares Open QB Competition
Browns general manager Andrew Berry addressed reporters at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday and left no room for misreading. No quarterback on Cleveland’s roster currently holds the starting job.
“We don’t have to make that decision anytime soon,” Berrysaid. “I think any player that we have in that room we would expect to compete to earn a role. Those two would be no different.”
Andrew Berry's Open QB Declaration Puts Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson in Direct Battle for QB1
Andrew Berry’s Open QB Declaration Puts Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson in Direct Battle for QB1 (Credit: Imagn image)
Those two are Sanders and Deshaun Watson, whose return from an Achilles injury suffered in October 2024 has kept him off the field for over a year. Watson has appeared in just 19 games since signing his $230 million fully guaranteed contract in 2022, yet he carries an $80.7 million cap hit in 2026, the highest in the league. Berry confirmed Watson is working hard and will be present for spring workouts.
Berry also praised Sanders’ development while pointing to sharper decision-making and fewer turnovers as the clearest areas for growth under new head coach Todd Monken. Third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel, who posted a 2-4 record across six starts before sustaining a concussion in Week 11 against Baltimore, is still part of the 2026 roster. Berry made clear Gabriel is “not forgotten.” Outside additions through free agency or the draft are also being explored.
The roster is unsettled, the competition is real, and Watson drawing that kind of money while sitting out an entire season is not something Cleveland fans are willing to quietly accept, and Berry’s latest comments have only added fuel to that fire
Fans Roast Deshaun Watson After Berry’s QB Competition Announcement
When NFL insider Adam Schefterposted Berry’s open competition announcement on X, Cleveland fans stormed the replies almost instantly. Watson took most of the heat.
One fanreplied: “If Watson is still being treated as a real option, Cleveland hasn’t learned enough.”
Anotherwrote: “Deshaun Watson is crazy. Dude rode the bench all last season with an injury from the season before and he is STILL going to be employed on the same team.”
One commenterobserved: “Berry opening up a real QB competition says everything about where Cleveland is right now. Shedeur getting a shot is notable, but Watson being in that mix shows nothing is guaranteed in 2026.”
Someone elseadded: “Cleveland putting Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson in the same quarterback competition is the most chaotic roster decision of the offseason. One is a top draft prospect and the other is a former franchise quarterback with a complicated recent history. That competition room is going to be must watch television from day one.”
A skepticquestioned: “So drafting Dillon Gabriel was just throwing a pick into the ocean, nice.”
The reaction reflects a fanbase caught between hope and frustration, and the quarterback decision belongs to all of Cleveland now, not just the front office.
The Browns head into 2026 with Sanders, Watson, and Gabriel all under contract. Training camp battles and potential free agency moves could reshape the depth chart completely before a regular season game is played.