Shedeur Sanders is competing with veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel for the starting role at Cleveland Browns ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
While Gabriel got the starting QB job first in the 2025 season after Joe Flacco’s exit, Shedeur Sanders was the one who started the last seven games of the year and finished with a 4-3 record.
Watson, who was out for the 2025 season due to an injury, is also back to training for the 2026 season and is in the running for the QB1 role. However, talking about which one of the three will be getting the job, analyst Jason McCourty said:
“He’s (Watson) going to be a part of the competition, and I think he should. I think something that Kevin just said where he said maybe Shedeur is not your future quarterback for the next 10 years. But for this year, well, if we don’t know what the answer is for the next 10 years, then why not give everybody a shot that you have in that quarterback room to go out there and compete? Now, the last time we saw Deshaun Watson, it wasn’t pretty by any stretch. So I’m not saying you should be handing the job over to him.“
“I would start with Shedeur Sanders in pole position, and he would my QB1 starting the offseason program. But he’s going to have to earn that and keep it. If Deshaun Watson comes out there and proves he’s the best quarterback in the room, why wouldn’t you allow him to go out there and play?”
Stephen A. Smith Advises the Browns to Give Deshaun Watson a Chance Over Shedeur Sanders
During an appearance on the “First Take” episode released on March 31, Stephen A. Smith shared that while he is inclined towards Shedeur Sanders as the QB1 for the Browns ahead of the 2026 season, he believes Deshaun Watson deserves a chance to revive his career.
Smith highlighted Watson’s salary and contract as one of the biggest reasons behind why the Browns should give him a chance for the upcoming season, however, not without him displaying what he can do first in the training camp.
“I’m just praying there could be some return to that Deshaun Watson,” Smith said.
Watson signed a $230M, 5-year deal with the Browns in March 2022.
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