The Cleveland Browns have named Deshaun Watson their starting quarterback for Week 1, beating out Shedeur Sanders for the job. I think that is the wrong decision. Let’s be realistic about where the Browns are right now. This does not look like a team that is one quarterback decision away from competing for a Super Bowl, and we all know the Browns probably aren’t going to be very good this season. If this year is going to be about figuring out what the future looks like, I don’t understand what Cleveland gains by going back to Watson.
I understand how much Cleveland invested in him. Honestly, that’s probably part of the problem. The Browns made one of the biggest trades in NFL history to acquire Watson from the Houston Texans in 2022, sending Houston three first round picks, a third round pick and two fourth round picks while receiving Watson and a fifth round pick in return. Then they handed Watson a five year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract. That’s an enormous investment, but at some point, what you gave up for a player can’t determine what you continue doing years later. The picks are gone. The money was guaranteed. You aren’t getting either of them back by starting Watson in 2026.
Most importantly, the move simply hasn’t worked. Watson was once one of the best quarterbacks in football. During his final season with Houston in 2020, he led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards, threw 33 touchdowns against only seven interceptions and made his third consecutive Pro Bowl. That version of Deshaun Watson has never appeared in Cleveland. Since joining the Browns, Watson has dealt with suspensions, injuries and inconsistent play. He has appeared in only 19 regular season games for Cleveland across four seasons, and he missed the entire 2025 season after his Achilles injuries. Now he’s being asked to return from another major injury and immediately become the starting quarterback again.
And if we’re talking about Cleveland trying to win right now, look at what the organization just did with Myles Garrett. The Browns traded away arguably their best player and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year to the Los Angeles Rams this offseason. Garrett was coming off a historic 23 sack season and had become the face of the Browns defense, yet Cleveland moved him for Jared Verse and a package that included a first, second and third round pick. You don’t trade away a player like Myles Garrett if your only priority is maximizing your chances of winning right now. The Browns themselves talked about beginning a new era with a younger core after making the trade. If you’re willing to move your best player with an eye toward the future, why wouldn’t you take the same approach at the most important position on the field?
That’s where I really don’t understand Cleveland’s decision. Sitting behind Watson is Shedeur Sanders, a young quarterback who is still early in his NFL career. Is Sanders definitely Cleveland’s franchise quarterback? I have no idea. Nobody does. That’s exactly why I would play him. If you’re a legitimate Super Bowl contender and the veteran clearly gives you the better opportunity to win right now, that’s one thing. But Cleveland doesn’t appear to be in that position.
Give Sanders the reps. Let him make mistakes. Let him experience NFL defenses. Let the coaching staff find out how he responds when teams have a full week to game plan against him. See whether he develops as the season progresses. Maybe Sanders proves he can become Cleveland’s quarterback of the future. Maybe he doesn’t. Either result gives the Browns valuable information, while starting Watson doesn’t answer that question.
Watson is also approaching 31 years old and trying to return from a major Achilles injury. More importantly, we haven’t seen anything resembling his Houston peak in years. At some point, Cleveland has to stop making decisions based on the quarterback Watson used to be and evaluate the quarterback he is today. Even this preseason hasn’t given me a reason to believe Cleveland needs to prioritize Watson. Through the competition, Watson completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 162 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, while Sanders completed 68.2 percent for 153 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Neither quarterback has been spectacular, which makes me question the decision even more. If there isn’t a massive difference between them right now, why not invest those snaps into developing the younger player?
Watson’s most recent preseason performance didn’t exactly settle the argument either. Against Buffalo, he completed only 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards and an interception. Head coach Todd Monken has said the decision is based on the entire body of work and who gives Cleveland the best chance to win Week 1. I understand that mentality from a head coach. Coaches are paid to win football games, and if Monken genuinely believes Watson gives him the best chance to do that, I understand why he made the choice. I just think Cleveland needs to look beyond Week 1.
The Browns already spent years trying to make the Watson trade work. They gave away premium draft capital. They guaranteed $230 million. They waited through the suspension. They waited through the injuries. None of that means they have to keep waiting. Sometimes an organization has to accept that a massive move didn’t work and start figuring out what comes next.
For me, that means playing Shedeur Sanders. Not because I’m guaranteeing Sanders becomes a star. Not because I think he’s already a great NFL quarterback. And not because starting him suddenly makes Cleveland a contender. You play him because you need to find out.
If Sanders struggles and proves he isn’t the answer, Cleveland enters the next offseason knowing it still needs a quarterback. If he develops and shows legitimate potential, suddenly the Browns might have found a young quarterback they can build around. Either way, they learn something about their future. With Watson, we already know what Cleveland has received so far, and it hasn’t been close to what the Browns thought they were acquiring in 2022.
Cleveland has already shown us the direction this franchise is heading. You don’t trade Myles Garrett in his prime if you’re going all in to win right now. If the Browns are rebuilding around a younger core, then commit to it. Find out what you have in Sanders instead of spending another season trying to justify a trade that happened four years ago.
The Deshaun Watson trade is already part of Cleveland’s past.
The Browns should be using 2026 to figure out whether Shedeur Sanders can be part of their future.
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