The season opener is drawing near, but the uncertainty over the Cleveland Browns’ QB situation remains.
After the first week of preseason, Andrew Berry addressed the question and detailed what Cleveland is looking for as Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders await the green light.
Andrew Berry Reveals What Will Decide Deshaun Watson Vs. Shedeur Sanders QB Battle
The Cleveland Browns GM recently sat down with James Harrison and Joe Haden on the “Deebo & Joe” podcast. He was asked directly about the quarterback battle brewing between Watson and Sanders.
“I gotta jump on the elephant in the room. Y’all got a little bit of a quarterback battle over there, a little public battle going on over there between Shedeur and Deshaun,” Harrison said.
He then directly asked Berry, “How much pressure is on you to start Watson because of what you’re paying?” referring to Watson’s albatross of a contract.
“It’s a performance-based decision,” Berry replied, leaving little room for interpretation. “The contract does not matter.”
The financial picture makes Berry’s comments all the more interesting. Watson carries a $40.9 million cap hit this season, the final year of a $230 million contract that has drawn intense scrutiny since the day he signed it.
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Sanders, meanwhile, is playing on a rookie deal worth just $1.1 million against the cap. On paper, that kind of financial gap could make it tempting for the Browns to prioritize their investment in Watson. However, Berry insists that’s not how his staff is thinking about it.
“We’re pleased with both guys,” he added. “I think they both had a nice preseason, and they did some good things in the game this week.”
In Cleveland’s preseason opener, a 24-point loss to the Bears, Watson went 11-of-15 for 126 yards. He also lost a fumble and never tested the defense deeper than 10 yards downfield.
Sanders completed 6-of-11 passes for 79 yards and threw a costly interception that he later said just slipped out of his hand. Dillon Gabriel, the third quarterback in the mix, turned the ball over as well during his fourth-quarter reps.
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Head coach Todd Monken sounded encouraged by what he saw from his young quarterback room, turnovers included, calling it fun to watch his team compete even in a lopsided loss. Berry echoed that sentiment when Haden pressed him on how he’d grade the performances.
“I think we saw good things from both guys,” Berry said before pointing out it’s still early. “Obviously, look, it’s preseason, so it’s preseason, it’s early, you know, guys aren’t going to be perfect.”
He broke it down further from there.
Watson, according to Berry, operated the offense well and navigated the pocket with accuracy, and showed off some escapability by turning what should’ve been negative plays into short gains.
Sanders, meanwhile, continues to show real growth in his processing speed, even if the turnover is something the staff wants cleaned up.
Watson appears to have the edge for now, having taken more starting reps early on. That could change on Thursday against Buffalo, where Sanders gets the start, Watson takes over in the third quarter, and Gabriel closes things out. It’s a real opportunity for Sanders to make a statement.
Pro Football Network’s 2025 QB Impact Ratings had Sanders graded near the bottom of the league at 63.0, ahead of only Cam Ward, with 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions on the year.
Those numbers show Sanders still has plenty to prove, but a strong performance Thursday could convince the Browns’ brass to give the rookie the nod over Watson, who missed last season with an injury.
