Brian Hoyer refuses to write off Deshaun Watson just yet. The former Cleveland Browns quarterback looked at his old team’s chaotic depth chart and concluded the answer to their offensive woes might still be the most expensive player on the roster.
A Healthy Deshaun Watson Is the Cleveland Browns’ Best Option in 2026
Watson enters 2026 carrying a fully guaranteed $46 million cash payout and a staggering track record of missed time. Since the start of the 2021 season, the quarterback has missed 66 of a possible 85 games. He sat out his final year in Houston, served a lengthy suspension upon arriving in Cleveland, and battled multiple season-ending injuries.
Watson has suited up for just 19 total games in a Browns uniform over the last four years, throwing 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in that span. While a rotating cast of backups tried to keep the offense afloat, the baton eventually passed to Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel last fall.
Hoyer watched the tape. He knows the weight of Watson’s unprecedented five-year, $230 million deal. He also sees a pristine opportunity for new head coach Todd Monken to salvage the massive investment.
“The Deshaun Watson talk is an intriguing option for them,” Hoyer said this week on SiriusXM. “So much money is committed to Deshaun Watson that you really have no choice because no one’s gonna take on his contract. He’s healthy.”
The financial burden makes a clean break impossible. The Browns recently restructured Watson’s contract again to clear salary cap space, converting nearly all of his 2026 base salary into a bonus. The math ties Cleveland and Watson together for at least one more season.
Hoyer believes the forced marriage doesn’t have to be a disaster. He pointed out that Watson is finally healthy and ready to compete for the job he was paid to dominate.
“They didn’t give him all this guaranteed money ’cause he wasn’t a good player,” Hoyer said. “At some point, Deshaun was one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He’s dealt with injuries, he’s dealt with off-field issues. It’s not as crazy when you really think about it and you take the emotion out of it that they’re gonna give him an opportunity to win this job.”
If Watson recaptures his pre-injury form, the Browns instantly possess a dynamic offense. Hoyer noted that Monken’s arrival in Cleveland is a perfect fit for Watson’s specific skill set.
Monken previously built a dominant, run-heavy attack for Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, helping the Ravens secure back-to-back playoff berths. While Watson and Jackson operate differently, they both thrive when allowed to leave the pocket and extend plays.
Monken wants his quarterbacks to move. When right, Watson moves better than almost anyone.
“I think Todd Monken with Deshaun’s skillset, and we saw what he was able to do with Lamar, they’re a player that not just sits in the pocket but can move, can use their legs to a certain extent,” Hoyer said. “I actually think it’s a great option because if Deshaun’s back and healthy and can play the way that Deshaun Watson can play, I think he’s your starting quarterback.”
How Shedeur Sanders Impacts the Quarterback Battle
The path to the starting job won’t be a coronation. Sanders took meaningful snaps during the 2025 season. Hoyer acknowledged that Sanders clearly outperformed Gabriel last year. In the 8 games Sanders played, he threw for a 7-to-10 TD-INT ratio, finishing 46th in PFSN’s NFL QB Impact Metrics.
And it’s good in a way because a true training camp battle benefits everyone in the building. Competition breeds urgency. If Watson wants the job, he has to outplay a hungry, young talent who already won the locker room over last fall.
“If he pushes Shedeur to get better from what Shedeur was last year, that’s a win for the team as well,” Hoyer said. “And I think if anything, if you come out of next season and you realize that neither of those guys is your answer, well then you know what you have to do for the future.”
By all accounts, Watson supported Sanders throughout the turbulent 2025 campaign. They maintained a positive relationship while sharing a quarterback room that often felt like a revolving door. Now, they get to fight for the keys to Monken’s offense.
Hoyer views the dilemma as a luxury rather than a crisis. The Browns can either roll with a revitalized veteran desperate to prove his worth or hand the franchise over to a promising young arm who beat out a highly paid star.
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“For as bad in quotations as the situation is at that position for the Browns, this is a best case scenario,” Hoyer said. “You paid Deshaun Watson all this money. Give him the opportunity. You haven’t cast him aside. He’s handled things clearly the right way. If he pushes Shedeur to become an even better quarterback, great. You have your guy maybe for the potential future.”
Cleveland fans have endured decades of quarterback instability. They have watched a staggering 42 different men start under center since the franchise returned in 1999, a list that now includes both Sanders and Gabriel.
