Going into the 2026 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns have one of the most intriguing quarterback situations, headlined by Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel for all the wrong reasons.
Despite Sanders starting the final seven games of the 2025 NFL season, NFL insider Mike Garafolo says that Watson is in the top position to lead the team next season.
Why Deshaun Watson Is the Leading Quarterback Candidate for the Browns in 2026
In regard to the Browns’ quarterback situation, Yahoo Sports writer Ryan O’Leary wrote the following about Garafolo’s update on “Good Morning Football” on NFL Network:
“‘Does Deshaun Watson have a chance to be the Browns’ starter in 2026? Ah, yes he does,’ Garafolo said on air. ‘And in my opinion, he’s got a great shot. In fact, at this point, if Deshaun Watson is the starter Week 1 for the Cleveland Browns, this guy right here is not going to be surprised.'”
During the show, Garafolo also said the following, “‘Now there will probably be some kind of open competition that they’ll have throughout the summer. The Browns have done that before. They had one last year – a four-way competition last year in training camp for the Browns, so I would expect that to be the way that it goes.
“‘But you’re paying (Watson) anyway. He’s on the roster. He was previously an accomplished quarterback. There’s been a lot that’s happened off the field. I understand that. But to me, Deshaun Watson might even be in the pole position at this point to be the Browns’ starter for this upcoming season.'”
Since being traded from the Houston Texans to the Browns, Watson has played in only 19 games across four seasons due to a combination of suspensions (11 games in 2022) and injuries. He missed the entire 2025 season, which made way for Sanders and Gabriel to battle for the starting position.
During his time with the Browns, Watson has completed 61.2% of passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Additionally, he’s rushed for 465 yards and three touchdowns.
During his time with Cleveland, Watson has qualified for PFSN’s NFL Quarterback Impact Metric only once, in the 2024 season. That season, he ranked 39th out of all quarterbacks with an impact score of 51.1 and a letter grade of F.
Garafolo is right; while he may have the advantage over Sanders and even Gabriel, it isn’t because of recent success. It’s more so because the team is paying him an entirely guaranteed contract worth $230 million for five years. Luckily for Browns fans, however, this is the last year of his exorbitant contract, and they can move on from him in March 2027.
