Browns' QB Battle Heats Up as Watson Projected to Start Over Sanders

Insider Ian Rapoport predicts Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland's Week 1 starter in 2026, complicating Shedeur Sanders' path to QB1.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 8:06pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a quarterback in the act of throwing a football, with the figure and ball broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a vibrant color palette.A cubist interpretation of the Browns' quarterback competition, with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders' movements deconstructed into a dynamic, geometric composition.Cleveland Today

The Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation remains uncertain heading into the 2026 NFL draft, with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders vying for the starting job. However, NFL insider Ian Rapoport has predicted that Watson, not Sanders, will likely be the Browns' Week 1 starter in 2026, citing Watson's track record when healthy and his perceived higher ceiling in a win-now window for the team.

Why it matters

The Browns' quarterback competition is a key storyline for the franchise, as they look to solidify their starting QB position and make a push for the playoffs. Rapoport's prediction that Watson will start over Sanders, the team's 2025 fifth-round draft pick, could have significant implications for the team's future plans at the position.

The details

After starting the year as a backup, Sanders took over the starting role late in the 2025 season and finished with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, completing 56.6% of his passes and finishing with a 3–4 record as a starter. While Sanders showed flashes of potential, including a 364-yard breakout game against the Tennessee Titans, he also struggled with inconsistencies and decision-making. Meanwhile, Watson is a proven starter with elite-level flashes earlier in his career, including a league-leading 4,823-yard season in 2020 and three straight Pro Bowl nods from 2018 to 2020 with the Houston Texans. However, Watson's availability has been a concern, as he missed the entire 2025 season after re-rupturing his Achilles and has shown inconsistent production when active.

  • In 2023, Watson helped steady the Browns, going 5–1 in six appearances before a shoulder injury derailed his season.
  • Watson missed the entire 2025 season after re-rupturing his Achilles.
  • On Monday, April 13, 2026, NFL insider Ian Rapoport predicted that Watson, not Sanders, will likely be the Browns' Week 1 starter in 2026.

The players

Deshaun Watson

A proven starting quarterback with elite-level flashes earlier in his career, including a league-leading 4,823-yard season in 2020 and three straight Pro Bowl nods from 2018 to 2020 with the Houston Texans. However, his availability has been a concern, as he missed the entire 2025 season after re-rupturing his Achilles and has shown inconsistent production when active.

Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns' 2025 fifth-round draft pick, who took over the starting quarterback role late in the season and finished with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, completing 56.6% of his passes and finishing with a 3–4 record as a starter. While he showed flashes of potential, he also struggled with inconsistencies and decision-making.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If I had to guess, and these are guesses, not reports. My guess is Deshaun Watson. When he's been healthy, he's been for sure good enough to be a starter. Before he broke his shoulder two years ago, he led the team back on a comeback, and it was like, 'All right, this guy's really starting to play well.' Then he got hurt again.”

— Ian Rapoport, NFL Insider

“Are these freak things? Who knows. But if healthy, I think he gives them the best chance to win.”

— Ian Rapoport, NFL Insider

What’s next

The Browns will have to make a decision on their starting quarterback for the 2026 season, with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders both vying for the job. The team's decision could have significant implications for the franchise's future plans at the position.

The takeaway

The Browns' quarterback competition remains a key storyline heading into the 2026 NFL season, with Deshaun Watson's perceived higher ceiling and track record when healthy potentially giving him the edge over the promising but inconsistent Shedeur Sanders. The team's decision could have lasting impacts on the franchise's direction at the quarterback position.