The starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in the 2026 NFL season is not yet set in stone, and it is being contested mostly by Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
The training camp and offseason in general give new Cleveland head coach Todd Monken the time to see which way the Browns should go when it comes to the team’s starter under center come the 2026 campaign.
It also seems that the quarterback battle between Watson and Sanders will continue into the preseason, with Monken telling Cam Wolfe of NFL Network that each signal-caller will get the chance to start in each of the team’s first two preseason games.
A glimpse into our early breakdown of Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson QB battle over Browns live practice footage: pic.twitter.com/kHOx4Vrnzs
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 4, 2026
Cleveland also still has Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green on their quarterback depth chart, but it’s truly a two-man race for the QB1 role in The Land.
In terms of experience, there is no question that Watson has the edge over Sanders. A three-time Pro Bowler who’s got 72 starts under his belt, Watson appears to be finally healthy.
He missed the entire 2025 season after going under the knife to address an Achilles injury. Sanders, on the other hand, made eight appearances, including seven starts, in 2025, his rookie season in the league. He passed for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
There is clearly a lot to learn for Sanders, but if he can show vast improvement in the offseason and outperform Watson in training camp and preseason, he should have a strong case to be the team’s starter in the Browns’ Week 1 showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville on Sept. 13.
The starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in the 2026 NFL season is not yet set in stone, and it is being contested mostly by Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. The training camp and offseason in general give new Cleveland head coach Todd Monken the time to see which way the Browns should go when it comes to the team’s starter under center come the 2026 campaign.
