Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Deshaun Watson is not facing solid odds as he looks to win the Cleveland Browns‘ starting quarterback job.
Watson is entering a make-or-break season as he attempts to return from a lost year and salvage his future with the Browns. Watson missed all of last season after undergoing two Achilles surgeries, adding another layer of uncertainty to a tenure already marked by injuries and inconsistency.
Since arriving in Cleveland via a blockbuster 2022 trade, he’s managed just 19 starts. When healthy, his play has been a far cry from the elite form he once showed with the Houston Texans, where he led the league in passing in 2020. Now entering the final year of his contract, Watson has one more chance not only to prove he can still perform at a high level, but to show he can stay healthy.
If he’s unable to do both, his future in Cleveland — and potentially in the NFL — could be in serious jeopardy. But Watson’s first task is to claim the starting quarterback job.
Shedeur Sanders Gets Edge Against Deshaun Watson in Browns QB Battle
The Browns have not added to their quarterback room this offseason. The current group includes Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. As it stands, it’s viewed as a two-horse race between Watson and Sanders, who started the final seven games last season as a rookie.
There’s a growing sense inside the building that the Browns’ quarterback decision may not come down to talent alone. Cleveland.com insider Mary Kay Cabot believes Sanders currently holds a slight edge over Watson and hinted that outside factors, including locker room dynamics and fan sentiment, could ultimately tip the scales.
“Right now, I would put it at 60% because if it comes down to Deshaun vs. Shedeur, there’s going to be a lot of sentiment to go with the player you finished last season with and showed what Todd Monken described as elite playmaking ability,” Cabot said on 92.3 The Fan. “In the event you throw him out there and it doesn’t go the way that you hoped, then you can turn it over to Deshaun.
“There are extenuating circumstances. With the way fans feel about Shedeur and fans feel about Deshaun, it might more sense to see what Shedeur can do and then, once again, if it doesn’t go the way you hoped, people would then be primed and ready for the Deshaun experience. They might not want that at the beginning of the season and that could be a distraction.”
Mastery of Monken System Significant Factor for Watson, Sanders
The Browns’ offense is being rebuilt under new head coach Todd Monken. Cabot cited one of the biggest factors in the QB battle being who can master Monken’s system the quickest.
“In my mind, one of the biggest factors is which of these two quarterbacks will know the Todd Monken offense well enough to show out in these offseason and preseason workouts and games,” Cabot said. “That’ll be the key. You have to know the new scheme inside and out.”
Watson still holds a clear edge over Sanders when it comes to experience, bringing multiple Pro Bowl selections to his resume, even if he hasn’t reached that level since 2020. At the same time, questions persist around Sanders’ football IQ and how quickly he can process and adapt to new systems at the NFL level.