Shedeur Sanders gets even more bad news in Browns' QB competition

The Cleveland Browns have one of the most fascinating quarterback dilemmas in the NFL heading into the 2026 season, as they juggle a large quarterback room that features second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders, veteran Deshaun Watson, who's finally healthy following an Achilles injury, Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green.

Sanders gets lots of media attention, but Watson is largely expected to serve as the starting quarterback this season. Now, a new report points even more to Watson having that starting role, which isn't great news for Sanders, but things are always fluid, so don't count him out yet.

ESPN insider details Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson competition

"Deshaun Watson has a leg up in the quarterback competition, but the Browns have not made any kind of firm determination yet. But, the Browns like Deshaun Watson's experience," Fowler said, according to ESPN Cleveland. 

"Watson believes that Todd Monken's offense — which has some concepts to the Air Raid out of college, which he's run in the past and has some room to freelance a little bit out of the pocket — he likes that and feels like it's a fit."