Steelers Now
The Cleveland Browns quarterback room is once again one of the most fascinating storylines in the NFL, and according to ESPN analyst Jeremy Fowler, there may be another twist developing in the competition.
“Deshaun Watson went into the spring as the clear favorite, and then Shedeur Sanders has bridged the gap at least somewhat.”
The news is interesting because all of the early reports coming out of Cleveland suggested that Deshaun Watson had the upper hand and that the Browns were willing to give it one final shot with the former Pro Bowler despite how disappointing his tenure has been. After signing Watson to a historic and controversial fully guaranteed $230 million contract in 2022, virtually nothing has gone according to plan.
Between injuries, off-the-field issues, and inconsistent play, Watson has appeared in just 19 games over the last four seasons. The last time he suited up was October of 2024, and even in that limited sample size his numbers were among the worst of any starting quarterback in the league. It’s been a shocking fall from grace for a player who at one point looked like one of the NFL’s brightest young stars. Back in Houston, Watson looked like a legitimate franchise quarterback capable of carrying a team. The player Cleveland has gotten has looked nothing like that version.
On the other side of the competition is Shedeur Sanders, who has a polarizing storyline of his own. After one of the most memorable draft slides in recent memory, Sanders eventually landed in Cleveland as a fifth-round pick. The former Colorado quarterback entered camp buried on the depth chart and opened as the fourth-string quarterback, but he has seemingly done enough to at least force his way into the conversation.
That doesn’t mean everything has been perfect. In five appearances, Sanders threw seven touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions. While those numbers certainly aren’t great, it’s also hard to completely write him off at this stage. Young quarterbacks often struggle early, and Sanders was far from being placed into an ideal situation. The Browns knew he was a developmental prospect when they drafted him, and there are still people around the league who believe he has more upside than his draft position would suggest.
The next few months are going to be incredibly important for both players. For Watson, this could be the last real opportunity to prove he can still be a starting quarterback in the NFL and salvage what has been a disastrous run in Cleveland. For Sanders, it’s a chance to continue closing the gap and potentially convince the organization that he deserves a larger role moving forward.
Whether Watson can put together one final comeback story or Sanders can continue his climb up the depth chart remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: a quarterback situation that already felt chaotic somehow just got even more interesting.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Insider Drops Eye-Opening Update on Browns QB Situation
