Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Getty
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Deshaun Watson may still be in the mix for the Cleveland Browns, but his long-term future with the franchise remains highly uncertain.
Watson is entering the final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract, and the results haven’t matched the investment. Since arriving in 2022, he’s appeared in just 19 games, with the blockbuster trade widely viewed as a miss for Cleveland.
Now, Watson faces what could be his last opportunity to reset the narrative. He’ll need to win a quarterback battle with Shedeur Sanders — and the Browns have made it clear that outcome will be earned, not assumed.
“Deshaun has a great chance — fresh start, offensive-minded coach who has, in his past, been able to work with all kinds of different quarterbacks and make them successful,” owner Jimmy Haslam said. “So Deshaun has a great chance to do that now. We talked to him the other day. He said he weighed less than he had in several years, was in great shape. He’ll be here on April 7 when we start (the offseason program), and let’s see what Deshaun can do. We’re all excited.”
Deshaun Watson’s Future in Cleveland Murky
Browns general manager Andrew Berry emphasized that the team’s decision at quarterback won’t be dictated solely by long-term outlook. While Watson is on an expiring deal, Sanders remains under team control through 2028 on a rookie contract — a factor that naturally tilts long-term planning.
“Certainly time horizon factors into that, but just with any veteran player, there’s no rule against extending the player’s contract if they perform and they do well,” Berry said. “So I wouldn’t necessarily box it into any one approach. It really will be performance-based.”
Still, the external outlook paints a much steeper climb for Watson, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic.
“My own translation of Haslam saying Watson has a ‘great chance’ is that he means Watson has earned the chance to return to football, compete again and maybe reboot his career for 2027 and beyond,” Jackson said. “The chances of Watson being with the Browns past this season are extremely low — and the level at which he would have to play to even be the best option for a rebuilding 2026 Browns team is a level he’s rarely performed at since 2020.”
Shedeur Sanders Still Favorite in Browns QB Race
As Berry noted to reporters, no quarterback has “touched grass” yet, making it hard to establish a favorite in what the team has dubbed an open competition. But Jackson believes the edge still belongs to Sanders.
“I wholeheartedly believe there’s excitement for Watson getting healthy and trying to come back from his injuries and previous failures in Cleveland,” Jackson said. “But I feel stronger than ever that Sanders, not Watson, is the favorite to win the starting job. Sanders is 24 and signed for three more seasons. He was never the team’s Plan A last season and might not be Plan A for the future, but giving Sanders every chance to win the job and make real progress is clearly the best option right now.”
Sanders has been around the Browns facility this offseason, putting in the work to prepare for his second NFL campaign. He started seven games as a rookie, passing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.