Insider hints if Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders is more likely to be with Browns after 2026 season

It is now clear that at least some people within the Cleveland Browns want members of the fan base to be prepared for veteran Deshaun Watson to enter the 2026 season as the team's starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders and fellow 2025 rookie Dillon Gabriel.

For a mailbag published on Monday night, Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand hinted that Watson has no long-term future with the club, regardless of how he performs over the next eight months. 

Is Deshaun Watson nothing more than a bridge option for the Browns?

"Consider Watson a one-year bridge quarterback to 2027," Grossi wrote. "He will not be back after 2026. If Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel wins the QB competition, fine. Maybe one of them is the QB who will take the Browns to the next level. If not, they look toward the 2027 draft, and Watson moves on. Playing Watson in 2026 does not mean the Browns are re-upping him in 2027."

The 2027 draft class is expected to be loaded with top-tier quarterback prospects. Meanwhile, Watson has reportedly been Cleveland's most-impressive signal-caller during voluntary springtime workouts. 

Back in March 2022, the Browns sent multiple valuable draft assets to the Houston Texans for the right to sign Watson to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract. As Grossi pointed out, "the Watson trade and gargantuan contract" are now seen as the biggest mistakes made by Jimmy Haslam during Haslam's run as Browns co-owner. Nevertheless, the Browns seem willing to give Watson the keys to their offense on a short-term basis. 

Browns have nothing to lose in starting Deshaun Watson this year?

"He is said to be in a good mindset," Grossi added about Watson. "The Browns are paying him $46M. Why would they not try to salvage whatever they can from him in the last year of his contract? I mean, the alternatives are two second-year QBs who were not exactly world-beaters."

Watson's injury history could lead one to assume it's a matter of when and not if Sanders will find himself back atop Cleveland's depth chart. Sanders should have an opportunity to compete for the starting job over the next two summers, but it sounds like Watson is currently the preferred choice of first-year Browns head coach Todd Monken.