Shedeur Sanders was thrust into the starting quarterback job for the Cleveland Browns for the final seven games of the 2025 NFL season, going 3-4 following an injury to fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
All that was possible with Deshaun Watson sidelined in 2025 due to two torn Achilles tendons. However, with the veteran now eyeing a return and recent comments from owner Jimmy Haslam, the Browns may have a far more complicated quarterback decision.
Ken Carman Backs Shedeur Sanders as Favorite Over Deshaun Watson
While the Browns is yet to publicly name a starter, not everyone believes Watson has a realistic path back to QB1, especially with Sanders showing flashes late last season. Ken Carman, a Browns analyst on “The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima” on “92.3 The Fan,” suggested Watson would need to far exceed expectations just to justify reclaiming the role.
“I don’t think there’s anybody out there who thinks that Deshaun Watson is going to be good enough to give them any sort of a future whatsoever,” Carman said. “If you’re going to start that guy, he’s got to be not just decent, he’s got to be damn good because your fans are not going to like that.”
Even before his injury, Watson endured a difficult 2024 campaign with the Browns and was a shell of his former self with the Houston Texans, raising further questions about his long-term future as the team’s potential starter.
Across seven starts in 2024, Watson completed 63.4% of his passes for 1,148 yards, throwing five touchdowns and three interceptions while posting a 1-6 record. Watson was also ranked 39th in PFSN’s QB Impact rating that year with a 51.1 score and an F grade.
Carman doubled down on the idea that anything short of elite production won’t be enough for Watson to win over the fan base or secure the starting job. “If he turns this football team into a 12- or 13-win team, then I can’t say anything to the guy. But I think a lot of people think pigs will fly before that actually happens.”
Perhaps the most telling takeaway came when Carman laid out his analysis, showing just how much would need to go wrong for Sanders to lose his grip on the starting role. “Shedeur has to go out there and just be abominable to me in OTAs for Deshaun Watson to win this job,” he said.
Despite Sanders being considered the favorite to keep the starting job, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam recently offered public backing for Watson, calling it a “fresh start” for the veteran quarterback.
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Speaking at the NFL owners meetings, Haslam said Watson still has a “great chance” to reclaim the starting job. This is a notable shift from last year, when he described the franchise’s blockbuster move for the quarterback as a “big swing and a miss.”
Watson has played just 19 games since arriving in the Browns in 2022, with much of his current stint derailed by injuries and suspensions. However, Haslam’s comments suggest that the organization appears willing to give him one final opportunity under new head coach Todd Monken.
At the same time, the Browns’ front office has reportedly made it clear that the starting job will be earned and not handed out. With Sanders coming off a promising seven-game stretch to close his rookie season, and the team potentially eyeing additional quarterback depth in the draft, the competition is wide open heading into offseason workouts.
For now, Haslam’s backing gives Watson a pathway. But as Carman bluntly put it, anything short of outstanding may not be enough, especially with Sanders already positioning himself as the future in the Browns.
