Browns' Shedeur Sanders call should silence Deshaun Watson chatter until 2026

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders produced the best outing, to date, of his young career in a 31-29 home loss to the Tennessee Titans that dropped the Browns to 3-10 on Sunday. 

While speaking with reporters on Monday afternoon, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Sanders is on track to remain the club's starter through Week 18. 

Why Kevin Stefanski made Shedeur Sanders call ahead of Week 15

"I think all along with our quarterbacks and our young players, you’re always making sure that you’re making the right decisions for our guys," Stefanski explained, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "And I think [Sanders] has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games. And how he’s approached this game, he’s been working very hard. So, I feel good about where his development is heading. He knows there are always going to be plays where he can be better and those types of things. But he’s very intentional about getting better each and every game he’s out there."

In just his third regular-season start, Sanders outplayed Titans rookie quarterback and 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Ward. In total, Sanders completed 23-of-42 passes for 364 yards with three touchdowns and an interception on a pass he probably wishes he never made. He also rushed for 29 yards and a score. 

Previously, Stefanski had insisted that he would handle his quarterback situation on a week-by-week basis. Such comments seemed to leave the door open for the Browns to turn back to fellow rookie signal-caller Dillon Gabriel, who went 1-5 as Cleveland's QB1. 

Deshaun Watson should remain a mentor through Week 18

The Browns designated injured quarterback Deshaun Watson for a return to practice on Dec. 3 and have 21 days from that date to elevate him to the active roster or shut him down through Week 18. With Cleveland eliminated from the playoffs and Sanders seemingly improving with each start, the club should have no reason to activate Watson as long as Sanders and Gabriel remain healthy. 

Watson has already shown he's willing to serve as a mentor for the first-year pros as an inactive spectator. The 30-year-old should now spend portions of this week helping Sanders get ready for Cleveland's matchup at the Chicago Bears (9-4) on Dec. 14. As for Watson's future, reports from last week shared that he's expected to remain with the Browns "through the completion of his contract in 2026."