CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland Browns are planning for Deshaun Watson to compete for the starting quarterback role in 2026, despite his troubled and injury-plagued past seasons. The Browns still have Watson under contract for the upcoming year, and releasing him early would cost the team an $80 million salary cap penalty, making it highly unlikely.
General Manager Andrew Berry has indicated that the Browns intend to maintain one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, showing no strong plans to bring in a quarterback to challenge Watson, Shedeur Sanders, or Dillon Gabriel for the starting spot. Instead, any veteran acquisition would likely be for depth rather than competition for the starting role.
Watson has been sidelined often, missing most of the last few seasons due to injuries, raising questions about the rationale behind starting him again. Browns’ new head coach Todd Monken acknowledged the talent Watson once displayed and noted,
“Anytime you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skill set at an elite level, I think you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of him again.”
The High Cost of Acquiring Watson
In 2022, the Browns made a significant commitment, trading six draft picks, including three first-rounders, to acquire Deshaun Watson from Houston. Alongside that trade, they also gave Watson a then-record contract fully guaranteed for $230 million, banking on his status as a three-time Pro Bowl signal-caller.
Watson’s performance in Houston was impressive — he completed 67% of his passes, the highest completion percentage for any quarterback with at least 1,500 attempts in NFL history. However, his last productive season was back in 2020. A holdout in 2021 demanding a trade and an 11-game suspension in 2022 due to allegations of misconduct with massage therapists created a 700-day hiatus between regular-season starts.
The Browns underestimated how much that extended absence would affect Watson’s readiness and physical condition. Since joining Cleveland, he has appeared in only 19 regular-season games, compounded by major surgeries including shoulder surgery in 2023 and two Achilles procedures in 2024.
Comparing Past Success to Current Performance
Watson’s most recent playing stretch was in 2024, starting seven games with a 63% completion rate, five touchdowns, and three interceptions before a torn Achilles ended his season. His quarterback rating ranked near the bottom, 32nd out of 34 starters according to ESPN’s QBR metric, underscoring his struggles in Cleveland.
Head coach Todd Monken, 59, takes a realistic view, aware that the Browns’ previous attempts under former head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinators Alex Van Pelt and Ken Dorsey did not yield a breakthrough for Watson. Now, Monken steps into the ongoing challenge with no predetermined quarterback firmly established.
Monken emphasized the openness of the competition:
“I think it’s an open competition, I don’t know why it wouldn’t be an open competition. I don’t mean that saying it harshly, but I don’t think there’s been enough on film over the last couple years one way or the other to say, ‘Boy, we have our starter at quarterback’ yet, whether internally or externally.”
Despite a few decent games in 2023, there is little evidence suggesting Watson can return to his elite Houston performance level.
Assessing the Browns’ Options Moving Forward
Some within the Browns organization believe Watson is now fully healthy, noting that late in the 2025 season his throwing in practice looked promising. Coach Monken remains cautious, stating,
“I’m going to let it play out, I think it’d be completely unfair … just like it would be in any classroom setting … be it students walk in and before they’re actually given the exam, you give them a grade. Well, how would you give them a grade? Based on male, female, race, how they look, how they’re dressed? I think that’s unfair.”
Monken encourages a fresh start but acknowledges existing perceptions:
“Now you’re going to have some pre-conceived notions. We have prior evidence, but I don’t decide who plays. The players decide who plays. I’ve never decided who plays.”
Andrew Berry expressed optimism about Watson’s work ethic, saying,
“Deshaun’s been working really hard. He’s been working his tail off. And like I said, we’re excited to go in April with all of our players across the roster because competition is something that we really believe in.”
While the Browns are giving Watson another chance, newcomer Shedeur Sanders also draws attention. Sanders started seven games last season and showed flashes of promise, though his rookie year included seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions with only 56% completion rate.
Monken praised Sanders’ potential, saying,
“You see elite playmaking ability, that’s in him. You’ve seen it. We’ve seen it. You saw it in college. You saw it on tape last year. Sure there’s a ways to go, but what first-year player doesn’t have a long way to go? I’m excited to get started with him and all of our quarterbacks — and all of our players.”
Despite Sanders’ challenges, the coach’s confidence contrasts with doubts surrounding Watson’s future health and ability to reclaim his previous level of play. The question remains whether Watson can sustain availability and performance or whether the Browns will shift focus more decisively toward Sanders.
Upcoming Engagements and Community Connection
Off the field, the Browns’ story continues to engage the local community. On March 4, a sports talk event will be held at the Music Box, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the main talk beginning at 7 p.m., providing a forum to discuss developments around the team and its players.
