As has been the case since they parted ways with Baker Mayfield, the Cleveland Browns have a quarterback conundrum. What they hoped to solve by adding Deshaun Watson, unfortunately, became an even worse problem with his arrival.
This summer, they’re trying to figure out their starter for this year and, potentially, beyond. Between the former first-round pick and Shedeur Sanders, the team has some controversial choices, but Watson is trying his best to secure the spot for himself.
Deshaun Watson Wants That Starting Job
Missing the entirety of the 2025 campaign due to injury, Watson was replaced by a mismatch of quarterbacks by the Browns. Giving Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders extended runs as the starter, they weren’t able to find a consistent answer.
Still, the second-generation star finished the season in the starting role over the final seven games of the year. However, he was far from the answer the franchise had been searching for, ranking at number 37 out of 38 qualified spots on PFN’s QB Impact Metric.
But as a rookie thrust into the starting role unexpectedly, there is genuine reason for optimism about how he could pan out. Unfortunately, a new head coach, Todd Monken, to replace Kevin Stefanski, may have derailed some of the plans he had in place.
As a result, the team is holding a full-fledged competition, which Watson is now preparing for extensively. Veteran Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot brought the scoop on “The Ken Carman Show,” detailing the events of the summer.
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“When they get back to camp, I really do believe it’s going to be a robust competition between Deshaun and Shedeur. And I think one of the interesting developments was the fact that Deshaun took it upon himself to come back into town on his summer break.”
That return coincided with some extreme work in the field to get back on track with his career for the former Houston Texans star. “He brought his physical therapist, Billy Voltaire, with him from Florida, and he also brought his quarterbacks coach, Quincy Avery, up here with him.”
“When they get back to camp, I do believe it’s going to be a robust competition… I thought it was very significant Deshaun came back up here to throw, to train, to show this football team and coaching staff he means business here.”
📞@MaryKayCabot says the Browns QB race… pic.twitter.com/tn2EqvlIsl
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) July 2, 2026
The message from Watson was loud and clear. But more than just making a point, he was ready to put in the work to become the long-term answer for a Cleveland team that is undergoing a massive transformation this offseason.
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“He was out there throwing to some guys, including Harold Fannin,” Cabot revealed. “So, I thought it was very significant that Deshaun came back up here to throw, to train, and I think to show this football team and this coaching staff that he means business here.”
It remains to be seen if an extra emphasis over the summer can save Watson’s job with the Browns. But after an offseason in which they changed head coaches and traded their best player, Myles Garrett, the team is clearly aiming for a complete reset.
As a result, their eyes could be on a stacked 2027 draft class to find their quarterback of the future. To make them deviate from the plan, Watson is going to have to regain the form that made him a three-time Pro Bowler.
