The Cleveland Browns are making the crowded QB situation clear. The player who plays the best will be the starting quarterback for the 2026 season. 

During an interview on ESPN Cleveland, GM Andrew Berry revealed that names and past success no longer matter. After the 2026 NFL Draft, he explained that the team will pick its leader based only on how they perform during practice and preseason games. 

"We're looking for performance. I hate to make it that simple, that's what it's about ultimately."  

There are currently four players competing for the job: Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Taylen Green. There have been some reports that have been comparing Deshuan and Sanders for the starting role because of their experience on the field. 

However, Berry insists that no one has a head start. Because the team has a brand-new offensive system, every player is starting over with a clean slate.

The Browns want to make sure they have plenty of talent in case of injuries. They do not want to repeat the same mistakes from the 2025 season, where Joe Flacco, who was the starting QB, was traded to the Bengals. Following this, Sanders and Dillon Gabriel tried to take over but could not put forth their best performance when on the field.

Berry plans to keep three quarterbacks on the main roster and one more on the practice squad, but they have to earn them.

Is Any Candidate Ahead in The QB Starter Race? 

The Cleveland Browns’ new head coach, Todd Monken, is still getting to know his roster. For the QB starter position, this was widely accepted to be a 2-man battle between Sanders and Watson.

But according to NFL insider Mary Kay Cabot, one player is already standing out as the frontrunner for the 2026 season: Deshaun Watson.

"Deshaun Watson emerged from the Browns’ voluntary minicamp last week with an edge over Shedeur Sanders in the two-man quarterback competition, and has the inside track to be named the Browns QB1, sources tell cleveland.com." 

Watson spent all of last year on the sidelines after suffering a second tear to his Achilles tendon, which required a follow-up surgery in January 2025. Despite the long road to recovery, he has returned to the field and is currently leading the race for the starting job. 

While the competition is close, Watson’s experience seems to be giving him the early advantage over the younger Sanders. He has appeared in a total of 19 games with the Cleveland Browns from 2022 to 2024. As per reports, his stats record 3,365 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. 

Coach Monken plans to officially name the team's starting quarterback by the end of the mandatory minicamp, which takes place from June 9–11. 

This timeline gives Shedeur Sanders and the other quarterbacks a few more weeks to try to close the gap. 

Who do you think will be the starting QB for the Browns?

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Written by

Aaindri Thakuri

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi