Deshaun Watson used to be a star. Will that help him beat Shedeur Sanders?
When Deshaun Watson was with the Houston Texans, he was one of the best QBs in the NFL.
That's why the Cleveland Browns paid a huge price to get Watson from Houston.
However, since making his Browns debut, Watson has posted a 33.1 Total QBR, the lowest among qualified passers. The odds of the former Texans star turning back the clock after an Achilles tear are pretty low, which is why many NFL pundits believe Cleveland should start Shedeur Sanders so the team can fully evaluate him for an entire season.
NFL analyst Alex Kay of Bleacher Report, though, believes Watson's "proven talents" will help him beat Sanders.
"The Cleveland Browns are hosting yet another offseason competition to determine their starter, with a healthy Deshaun Watson looking to usurp Shedeur Sanders and reclaim his QB1 status. Sanders showed promise as a Pro Bowl rookie, but new head coach Todd Monken has no stake in his success and will want the best player on the field. Watson's proven talents will give him a leg up in this race if he can avoid injury."
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.
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.
According to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Sanders has made up ground in the QB1 battle with Watson. This may go down to the wire.
The Browns will use training camp and the preseason to determine who will start Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It will be fascinating to see who wins between Sanders and Watson.
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