ESPN’s Field Yates believes that the future could be bright for the Browns at the quarterback position beyond this season.
Deshaun Watson will be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, and many fans aren’t feeling the best about it. Whether it was because of how he played over the past few weeks or how much money he’s making, the Browns ultimately believe that he gives them the best chance to win.
ESPN’s Field Yates offered a different take for Browns fans, and though it may not excite them for this season, it could hold some weight at the end of the year.
“Today was yet another, to me, message from the Cleveland Browns that the QB of their future is not on the roster right now. They have two first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft; that’s probably when they will acquire their quarterback of the future. I know Shedeur Sanders fans are a passionate bunch and probably feel he is or can be the answer for Cleveland. If the Browns felt that way, he’d be starting from the very beginning of the season because if you believe enough in a player to be your QB1 of the future, you’re going to believe enough in that player to start Week 1,” Yates said.
“Today was yet another, to me, message from the Cleveland Browns that the QB of their future is not on the roster right now.”
—@FieldYates on Deshaun Watson being named the Week 1 starter ✍️ pic.twitter.com/2f20Dy7H0H
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 24, 2026
Most people believed that Sanders was the answer at QB1 for the Browns, but apparently he didn’t do enough to secure the spot. He’s not out of the picture yet, as Watson can very much still be benched if he doesn’t perform to the Browns’ standard throughout the season.
If that is the case, it’ll be interesting to see what the Browns do with Watson moving forward. Cutting him may be the worst idea ever because of the cap hit they’ll take, and nobody is going to trade for him at this point.
For now, they can only hope that Watson proves to be the answer and leads the team to wins this season.
Deshaun Watson will be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, and many fans aren’t feeling the best about it. Whether it was because of how he played over the past few weeks or how much money he’s making, the Browns ultimately believe that he gives them the best chance to win.
