Cleveland Browns quarterback may be the frontrunner but that may not last long.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback may be the frontrunner but that may not last long.
Shedeur Sanders may be the Cleveland Browns‘ frontrunner at quarterback, but he’s been called the “least comfortable” No. 1 ever and the pecking order could change multiple times before training camp.
Zac Jackson of The Athletic appeared on the Scoop City podcast and offered a blunt assessment of where things stand with Sanders, Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland quarterback race heading into free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.
“I think Watson is a last resort only. I think Shedeur is No. 1, but the least comfortable or safe No. 1 that there could ever be,” Jackson said. “Maybe on March 9, or March 15, maybe on April 25, the whole order changes. Maybe three more times through the summer because that’s what the Browns do.”
Shedeur Sanders Atop Shaky Browns Depth Chart
Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season after working his way up from emergency quarterback. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
The numbers were not pretty, but he also flashed the kind of playmaking ability that had him projected as a first-round pick before his stunning draft-day slide to the fifth round. He also became the first Browns quarterback named to the Pro Bowl since Derek Anderson in 2007 — albeit as a controversial replacement. Sanders went 3-4 as the starter for a team that finished 5-12.
New head coach Todd Monken has been complimentary of Sanders while making it clear that no one has a lock on the starting job. At the NFL Combine, Monken praised Sanders’ “elite playmaking ability” but stopped short of naming him the frontrunner.
“I don’t know why it wouldn’t be an open competition,” Monken said. “I don’t mean that harshly, but I don’t think there’s enough on film over the last couple years, one way or the other, to say, ‘Boy, we have a starter at quarterback’ yet, whether internally or externally.”
Deshaun Watson Looms but Unlikely
As Jackson noted, Watson may be seen as a “last resort.” However, there have been mixed reports on the Browns’ feelings toward Watson. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah recently called Watson “the frontrunner” for the starting job.
Watson hasn’t played since October 2024 and is entering the final year of his fully guaranteed, $230 million contract with an $80.7 million cap hit. He is expected to have the deal restructured. The Browns are expected to keep Watson on the roster because cutting him would have crippling cap consequences.
Watson has started just 19 games in Cleveland, posting a 9-10 record and a career-low 79.0 passer rating in his last stretch of action. He missed all of last season recovering from a pair of Achilles surgeries.
“Watson has never taken over the building as a great player or dynamic leader. And he has not played football at all since October of 2024,” Jackson said. “We saw how he played after the last time he had a long break, which was horribly.”
Sanders may be sitting in the top spot on the hypothetical depth chart today, but the Browns are also expected to explore external options. That includes free agent Malik Willis and draft prospect Ty Simpson.