The Cleveland Browns may start Deshaun Watson at QB.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Cleveland Browns may start Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Browns are using training camp and preseason action to determine who QB1 will be.
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.
Meanwhile, since making his Browns debut, Watson has posted a 33.1 Total QBR, the lowest among qualified passers. The odds of the former Houston Texans star turning back the clock after an Achilles tear are pretty low, which is why many NFL pundits believe Cleveland should start Sanders so the team can fully evaluate him for an entire season.
Watson has 3,365 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns with Cleveland. He's thrown 12 interceptions.
Many Cleveland fans want Sanders to start because Watson has been horrendous since getting traded to the Browns. He also dealt with off-the-field stuff.
When Watson tore his Achilles in 2024, Browns fans cheered. That should tell you everything about how Cleveland fans regard Watson.
Some people in the NFL believe the Browns are best suited to be putrid again in 2026 so that they can get a top pick in 2027 and select Arch Manning or Dante Moore. Let's see what happens.
ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano believes Watson will start Week 1 and Sanders "will play a representative number of games this season."
"Week 1 starter prediction: Watson," Graziano wrote. "The process-driven Browns aren't going to decide this based on public perception -- that is, what their fans would think. And Monken, who has waited a long time to be a head coach, is likely to push for the guy who gives Cleveland the best chance to win. A healthy Watson, performing the way he did early in spring practices, could very well end training camp looking like that guy.
"But I'm very much of the belief that Sanders will play a representative number of games this season, even if he doesn't get to play the first one. The Browns need to know what they have before next year's draft."
