Browns Predicted to Bench Deshaun Watson for Shedeur Sanders in Week 14

Bleacher Report believes the Cleveland Browns will bench Deshaun Watson for Shedeur Sanders in Week 14. 

The Browns face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14. 

"The Bench Date: Week 14 against the Falcons, simply because Cleveland will likely have slid out of contention by then. If Watson hasn't bounced back by December, a relatively safe home date with Atlanta provides an ideal spot to evaluate Sanders before the front office faces major offseason decisions."

The Browns are 3-2. They lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4 and lost to the New York Jets in Week 5. 

Watson has 1,010 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns this season. He's thrown only two interceptions. The former Houston Texans star is completing 64.2% of his passes. 

For as maligned as Watson's tenure with Cleveland has been, some NFL teams believe it's bad business to pay a player $46 million not to play.

It would be stunning if the Browns' 2027 starter is someone on the current roster, but you can't always forecast what this franchise is going to do.

Sanders finished his rookie season with 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 169 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He went 3-4 as a starter.

The Browns like how much Sanders has developed under Todd Monken, and with no definitive long-term answer at QB, they are not motivated to move him or anyone else in the room right now.

The Minnesota Vikings traded J.J. McCarthy to the New York Giants, who lost starter Jaxson Dart for the season. If another team loses a starting QB, it will be intriguing to see if the Browns get trade calls on Sanders. 

Watson has not been booed at home yet. Cleveland hosts the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 at home. The Browns are 2-0 at Huntington Bank Field this season. That's why Watson hasn't been booed yet. 

If Watson struggles against the Ravens and the Browns lose, there's a strong chance Cleveland fans will boo Watson. After all, it's hard to ignore Watson's past, as more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions.

Watson enters Week 6 with 18,914 passing yards and 130 passing touchdowns with the Texans and Browns. In 24 games with Cleveland, Watson has 4,375 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns and 14 interceptions. 

The Browns are 12-12 when Watson starts. It will be fascinating to see if they can upset the Ravens, who will likely get superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson back in the lineup after the MVP missed Week 5 against the Falcons because of an ankle injury.

Sanders now has formal representation after entering the NFL without an agent. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sanders will be represented by Adie von Gontard of Young Money APAA Sports. The agency also represents his former college teammate, Travis Hunter.