Even though there are 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel and recently drafted Taylen Green in the Cleveland Browns quarterback room, the starting signal-caller role is expected to be a competition between 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson, who missed the whole of last season due to recovery from injury.
Head coach Todd Monken will have a tough job this preseason to evaluate both quarterbacks. On one side, he has a proven quarterback in Watson, who is entering the final year of his guaranteed $230 million contract, and on the other, he has Sanders, who showed great potential in limited appearances in his rookie season.
Let’s take a look at how both quarterbacks performed in their respective rookie years.
Comparing Browns QB duo Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders’ Rookie Performances
After a decorated college career, Shedeur Sanders was initially projected to be picked in the first round, but it was only in the fifth round when the Colorado standout found a team to draft him. He had to wait behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel before getting the starting nod in the second half of the season.
He finished his rookie year with 1,400 passing yards with 7 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He completed passes at 56.6% rate and had a 68.1 passer rating. He won his debut start, becoming the first Browns rookie quarterback in this century to do so, but ultimately posted a 3-4 record.
Though he was one of the lowest passer ratings among qualified quarterbacks that season, there were bright spots, including a 300+ yard game, where he showed playmaking ability under pressure. Interestingly, Sanders was named a Pro Bowl replacement, even though he had below-average numbers.
Coming to Watson, the Browns quarterback entered the NFL in 2017 as a first-round pick by the Houston Texans and immediately made an impact.
The former 12th overall pick appeared in seven games, including six starts, and posted a 3-3 record. Watson completed 126 of 204 passes for 1,699 yards with 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He had a quarterback rating of 103.0. He also rushed for 269 yards and two touchdowns on 36 attempts.
Watson’s rookie season ended prematurely on Nov. 2 that year, as he tore his ACL on a non-contact play during practice.
Comparing statistically, Watson has an edge. But let’s mention that Sanders didn’t get first-team reps until it was too late in the season. So it will be unfair to make decision primarily on just numbers alone.
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