New Cleveland Browns Development Impacts Shedeur Sanders' Situation

Sanders took over the helm in Week 12 after fellow rookie QB Dillon Gabriel suffered a head injury and was placed in the concussion protocol. Sanders stepped up to the plate and has since held on to the QB1 role despite Gabriel being cleared of his concussion.

On Wednesday, three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watsonreturned to practice for the first time following his season-ending Achilles injury in 2024. The Browns opened the 30-year-old’s 21-day practice window, which hinted at a possible return for Watson this season.

Watson has been Cleveland’s starting quarterback for the previous three seasons, which means that his potential return posed a possible threat to Sanders’ starting job. The good news for Sanders, however, is that, according to senior NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, Watson is not expected to compete for the QB1 role this season.

“While sources say it's considered unlikely that Watson would start a game for the Browns this season, his return to the field for Cleveland in 2026 as a potential starter is more likely than not,” Rapoport reported on Saturday, via NFL.com. “It would be a surprise at this point if Watson, who is due $46 million guaranteed next season, was not on the Cleveland roster to begin training camp in 2026.”

In a separate report, ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicated that Watson is not even expected to play this season.

This development adds significant security for Sanders in retaining the starting quarterback role. At this point, it appears that his only considerable competition would be Gabriel, who started six straight games before his head injury.

It is worth noting, however, that Watson is expected to remain in Cleveland beyond this season. Rapoport also indicated in his report that “it would be a surprise at this point if Watson, who is due $46 million guaranteed next season, was not on the Cleveland roster to begin training camp in 2026.”

Sanders may have locked in the QB1 role for the rest of the season, but it seems that 2026 could be a different story.

For now, the former Colorado Buffaloes star will be focused on what’s immediately ahead of him, which is Sunday’s game against the 1-11 Titans. The Browns, who are currently 3-9, will host the contest at Huntington Bank Field, with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.