Browns should heed warning amid Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson QB competition

The Cleveland Browns have a testy situation on their hands as quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson duke it out for the starting job. They're one of the franchises going through quarterback drama during the offseason, and it's heating up.

Sanders has been something of a fan favorite for this franchise. He went from one of the top-rated players in his draft class to barely getting the call, but finally getting it, and now, people are rooting for him as the underdog fifth-round pick. Watson is coming back after a lengthy injury and has a lot to prove. Both players have something to prove, actually.

Browns making some questionable decisions on Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, NFL expert says

In a feature about the state of the Browns in 2026, Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports warns the team of some questionable moves. One is leaning towards making Watson the starter.

"It will be very unpopular if Watson actually wins the Browns' starting job, considering his off-field past and how badly he has played in Cleveland since the Browns traded three first-round picks and more to the Texans for him," he says. Later, he adds that it's odd that Cleveland is "preparing everyone for the possibility of Watson starting this season. Whatever that reason is, it's bizarre."

Has Shedeur Sanders earned the starting position?

That hurts, but it's a real take. Sanders, it seems, should be the starter, but it's not heading that way.

So, has Sanders earned the starting role? With this current lineup of quarterbacks, the answer is yes.

Let's look at the numbers. During his rookie season with the Brown, he appeared in eight games with seven starts and passed for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

He nailed 120 of his 212 passing attempts. He also finished with a 68.1 passer rating.

Rookie seasons are always difficult in the NFL, and that's especially true for someone in the quarterback position. Considering that Sanders was on the NFL field for the first time in his life and didn't have a great offense to work with, what he did was impressive. It may not be franchise-quarterback stuff, but it's enough to make him a starter in 2026.

Either way, this team has to look hard for a 2027 quarterback in the draft.