The Cleveland Browns remain one of the NFL’s biggest offseason talking points, with their quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
However, some believe the debate is unnecessary and argue that the Browns should simply hand the starting job to Sanders.
Analyst Predicts Last-Place Finish for Browns Amid Deshaun Watson-Shedeur Sanders Battle
A rival NFL scout told Athlon Sports this week that the Browns need to finally see a return on the $230 million they committed to Watson. The scout argued Watson is clearly ahead of Sanders, saying it “doesn’t take a genius to see that.”
Watson was a star QB during his four seasons with the Houston Texans, where he completed 67.8% of his passes for 14,539 yards, 104 touchdowns, and 36 interceptions. However, his time in Cleveland has fallen well short of expectations.
After the Browns sent three first-round picks along with three additional draft selections to the Texans in 2022 to acquire Watson, he has appeared in only 19 games due to suspension and multiple injuries. And when he has been on the field, he has struggled. Some believe Cleveland would be better off giving Sanders the starting job after he showed flashes as a rookie.
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Adam Schein of the New York Post is among those who believe they should go with Sanders, who started seven games for Cleveland in 2025, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
“And then you have the Browns, you poor, poor people of Cleveland,” Schein said. “I just wish Shedeur Sanders would get the keys to the car. I actually thought Shedeur’s rookie season was solid. The problem is, you’ve got the Monk Man and Jimmy Haslam, they’re still messing around with Deshaun Watson. Why is this even a thing?”
The Browns also witnessed a big offseason change on defense, as they traded Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick. Garrett is coming off a magnificent 2025 season in which he set a new NFL single-season record with 23 sacks and finished at the No. 1 spot in the PFN EDGE Impact rankings.
Garrett has recorded 125.5 sacks through his first nine NFL seasons, which is the most among active players. Losing a five-time First-Team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection like Garrett is another major reason why Schein isn’t high on the Browns in the 2026 season.
“They don’t have Myles Garrett,” Schein said. “Whenever you trade the best defensive player in the NFL, you get worse. I think the Browns are going to be in dead last in the division. The Cleveland Browns remain the Cleveland Browns. They are a laughing stock. They are a joke.”
The Browns will face additional challenges entering the 2026 season, including their early-season schedule, which features six of their first nine games on the road.
