As the Browns weigh Deshaun Watson’s future, a source reveals the front office may move their young signal-caller to stockpile draft capital—provided a rival meets their specific asking price.
The quarterback conversation in Cleveland never really seems to die down, even in the heart of the summer.
As of today, all 32 NFL teams have concluded the Organized Team Activities portion of the offseason. This means a 4–6-week break for the players before they return for training camp at the end of July.
But on the first Monday after OTA's, longtime Cleveland radio host Tony Rizzo of ESPN Cleveland created a massive discussion topic involving Shedeur Sanders.
According to Rizzo, the Browns are receiving significant calls regarding possible Sanders trades. While trying to confirm if those rumors were true, one source inside the building with direct knowledge of the situation spoke with Roundtable on the condition of anonymity and explained the situation.
"Sanders could be acquired for the right price, but the Browns are not actively shopping him to teams," the source said. "The team is looking to accumulate draft picks for the upcoming draft, but also is not in fire sale mode. The only player they're not interested in moving is Denzel Ward."
Comparing the two players competing for QB1
Ever since he was acquired, the Deshaun Watson trade has been a debacle for Cleveland. Between the off-the-field distractions and poor on-field performance, the trade has been a disaster for the Browns.
The arguments for Watson to start are built on a shaky foundation, but it's not impossible that he will be the Week 1 starter. Cleveland must try to get a return on its investment and Sanders did not do enough in 2025 to solidify himself as the starter.
Frankly, Watson has never come remotely close to providing a return on the team's investment. Eventually, the Browns must cut their losses and move on. That point in the Watson timeline appeared to be when he injured his Achilles for the first time. Many fans would have been content with the team paying Watson $43M to stay home. But after a lengthy recovery, he's still under contract and back competing to lead the offense.
As to who gives the team the best chance to win, that should be obvious at this point - even if the statistical margins are similar. The team plays better when Sanders starts. The offense does not move the sticks with Watson in the game. Sanders is a better quarterback better than Watson at this point in their respective careers. As a rookie, Shedeur saw no significant reps during his rookie offseason, plus he had a terrible offensive line and unimpressive receivers.
Watson vs. Sanders
Watson – 2022: 6 starts, 3 wins, 58%, 1102 yards, 7 TDs, 5 INTs, 79 rating, 40 QBR
Watson – 2023: 6 starts, 5 wins, 61%, 1115 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs, 84 rating, 43 QBR
Watson – 2024: 7 starts, 1 win, 63%, 1148 yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs, 79 rating, 21 QBR
Sanders – 2025: 7 starts, 3 wins, 57%, 1400 yards, 7 TDs, 10 INTs, 68 rating, 19 QBR
Watson has averaged the same number of wins in three seasons as Sanders had in 2025. Objectively, Watson has played one ‘good’ half of football in three years. That came in a win against the Baltimore Ravens, which wouldn't have happened without a Greg Newsome pick-six.
Watson’s biggest play in his Browns career was 59 yards. Sanders beat that three-year high in his first NFL start vs the Raiders. Watson plays like he hears footsteps. Sanders, even in a bad situation, still out-performed a seven-year vet who was once a great quarterback.
Sanders has value moving forward, Watson does not. If Watson starts and plays well, Watson will sign with a different team in 2027. If Watson starts and plays poorly, he is probably out of the league in 2027. There is no 2027 reality where Watson will still be on the Browns' roster. Sanders remains a promising option on a favorable rookie contract.
Tempting a fanbase on the brink
The Cleveland fanbase has been loyal to a fault since the team’s original inception in 1946. They've supported the team in the face of depressingly bad football with a sold-out stadium since before they came back, and they've almost survived the Watson debacle. It would be a staggering understatement to say the Watson trade divided the fanbase.
Despite their loyalty, there's a reason teams don’t listen to fans about personnel decisions. However, there is a limit to the amount of heartbreaking (and borderline betrayal) level moves a team can make before they lose the fanbase.
The team chased off Baker Mayfield by courting Watson. Nick Chubb is arguably a top-five "most beloved" player in franchise history. They let him walk over $2.5M; that's loose change in NFL terms. They also did not retain Jarvis Landry, who is still credited by fans for changing the losing culture. Most recently, the Myles Garrett trade is still a sore subject, with many believing the compensation was noticeably less than it should’ve been for a player who might go down as the greatest pass rusher ever.
Glancing into the future
Trying to win while also trying to not call the last few years a rebuild, is wearing thin. If they trade Sanders in 2026, it will signal a breach of the plan they have intentionally and publicly articulated. They can say nothing and move him, but they’ve been actively pushing the strides Sanders has made, including head coach Todd Monken saying Sanders is an NFL starter.
Everything stated by the organization suggests a fair and complete quarterback competition. If Sanders were to win and play well, it creates a 2027 draft conversation. If he starts and does not play well, Cleveland can lean on its draft capital and select a quarterback it is confident is the long-term answer in 2027.
Trading Sanders at any point in 2026, short of the trade deadline after poor performance, would undo what the team has promoted - even if Sanders’ value is high right now. If they are trying to win games this year and trade Sanders, they will be unable to sell that winning idea to fans.
