{"id":851115,"date":"2026-04-03T11:04:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T11:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/851115\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T11:04:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T11:04:22","slug":"ex-browns-qb-backs-deshaun-watson-over-shedeur-sanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/851115\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Browns QB Backs Deshaun Watson Over Shedeur Sanders"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Cleveland\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.<\/p>\n

A former Cleveland Browns<\/a> quarterback believes Deshaun Watson has the edge over Shedeur Sanders in the race for the starting quarterback job.<\/p>\n

As it stands, Watson is set to battle Sanders for the starting job in a competition that feels driven more by circumstance than a clear long-term vision. Despite the trade for Watson being widely viewed as a disappointment \u2014 and after missing all of last season \u2014 there\u2019s growing momentum behind the former Pro Bowler<\/a> as the likely Week 1 starter under new head coach Todd Monken.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Todd Monken with Deshaun\u2019s skill set, and we saw what he was able to do with Lamar (Jackson), they\u2019re a player that not just sits in the pocket but can move, can use their legs to a certain extent,\u201d Brian Hoyer said on SiriusXM<\/a>. \u201cI actually think it\u2019s a great option because if Deshaun\u2019s back and healthy and can play the way that Deshaun Watson can play, I think he\u2019s your starting quarterback.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoyer, who spent two seasons with the Browns and logged 16 starts, added the business reality underpinning Watson\u2019s opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey didn\u2019t give him all this guaranteed money because he wasn\u2019t a good player,\u201d Hoyer said. \u201cAt some point, Deshaun was one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He\u2019s dealt with injuries, he\u2019s dealt with off-field issues. It\u2019s not as crazy when you really think about it and you take the emotion out of it that they\u2019re gonna give him an opportunity to win this job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Browns Owner Bullish on Watson at Owners Meetings\"Deshaun<\/p>\n

GettyDeshaun Watson will battle Shedeur Sanders for the Cleveland Browns quarterback role<\/p>\n

One year after publicly calling the Watson trade a \u201cbig swing-and-miss,\u201d Browns owner Jimmy Haslam struck a noticeably different tone this week in Arizona.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeshaun has a great chance, fresh start, offensive-minded coach, who has in his past been able to work with all kinds of different quarterbacks and make them successful,\u201d Haslam told reporters, per ESPN\u2019s Daniel Oyefusi<\/a>. \u201cSo, Deshaun has a great chance to do that now. We talked to him the other day, he said he weighs the least he has in several years. He\u2019s in great shape, he\u2019ll be in Cleveland on April 7 when we start the offseason workout program. Let\u2019s see what Deshaun can do. We\u2019re all excited.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haslam also acknowledged that Watson threw the ball well during a three-week stretch late last season when the Browns opened his 21-day practice window. Watson was never activated to the 53-man roster<\/a> but was able to knock off some rust in a practice setting. Watson has been working out with some of the Browns\u2019 top receivers this week<\/a> as Cleveland prepares for the start of their offseason program.<\/p>\n

Browns Relying on Competition to Drive QB Decision\"Cleveland<\/p>\n

GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson faces a final chance to get his career on track.<\/p>\n

General manager Andrew Berry reinforced Haslam\u2019s stance, making clear Watson will have every opportunity to win the job outright. Berry also raised eyebrows by leaving the door open on a Watson contract extension, telling reporters there is \u201cno rule\u201d against extending a player if he performs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re probably just more focused on performance and best players,\u201d Berry said, per Mary Kay Cabot<\/a>. \u201cCertainly, time horizon factors into that, but just with any veteran player, there\u2019s no rule against extending the player\u2019s contract if they perform and they do well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watson has appeared in just 19 games since Cleveland traded three first-round picks and handed him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n

In those 19 starts, Watson went 9-10, completing 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.\u00a0He is expected in Berea on April 7 when the Browns begin voluntary workouts.<\/p>\n

Sanders went 3-4 across seven starts in 2025, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland\u2019s third-round pick last season, also remains on the roster but isn\u2019t expected to be in the mix<\/a> for the starting gig.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tJ.R. DeGroote<\/a> JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Browns\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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