The quarterback battle in Cleveland is heating up, especially for Shedeur Sanders, who is looking to win the starting job for the Browns in 2026. Veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson, entering the final year of his fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract, is also aiming to prove himself. Reacting to the progress inside the locker room, a Browns defensive star recently shared his thoughts, which apparently didn’t sit well with a former NFL player.
Emmanuel Acho Calls Out Jared Verse’s Shedeur Sanders-Deshaun Watson Comments
Defensive end Jared Verse arrived in Cleveland this offseason as part of the Myles Garrett trade after spending over two years with the Los Angeles Rams. After participating in OTAs and workouts, Verse shared his opinion on the quarterback battle, saying that Watson and Sanders are “two elite quarterbacks.”
According to former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho, Verse and the Browns are only fooling themselves by calling both quarterbacks elite. Sanders is entering just his second season, while Watson, who has dealt with multiple injuries and durability concerns, is still trying to regain his form.
“If you lie to yourself, you’ll never get better. And the Cleveland Browns are lying to themselves,” Acho said while reacting to Verse’s remarks on the “Speakeasy” podcast.
“I say this with all due respect. Shedeur Sanders nor Deshaun Watson, as of late, has proved that they are an elite NFL quarterback. This isn’t disrespectful. They would say it. Deshaun can’t say he’s played at an elite level right now,” he added.
Acho argued that such overhyped labels can create complacency and lead to subpar performances.
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He continued, “Your quarterbacks won’t be pushed as much as they should be pushed because you’re calling them elite, and number two, you’re not going to elevate that room as necessary as you need to elevate it because you’re believing this lie that you’re elite.”
“That is a lie, and you will not improve that organization if you are lying about the most important position, Jared Verse,” Acho added. “So, to me, you just got there. You don’t need to lie. You’re incredibly talented. They’re gonna like you whether you lie or not. That’s the basis of my reaction to this.”
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As Acho mentioned, Shedeur still has a long way to go. Last season, he threw for 1,400 passing yards and seven touchdowns while struggling to find a rhythm in the pocket. He was sacked 23 times and also threw 10 interceptions. According to PFN’s QB Impact Metric, he posted an impact score of 63.0, which ranked second-worst in the league.
Meanwhile, Watson is still working to regain his strength and mobility after recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and multiple surgeries.
New head coach Todd Monken is still evaluating who should start in 2026, and has maintained that it’s a process that will take more time, with the real quarterback battle expected to begin once training camp kicks off in the last week of July.
