Cleveland Browns' newly appointed head coach, Todd Monken, stated in his first press conference that the quarterback position is a wide-open competition.

That's true even for the Browns' most experienced QB, Deshaun Watson, who missed the entire 2025 season due to a double rupture of his right Achilles tendon.

Andy Baskin and Jeff Phelps on 92.3 The Fan discussed the possibility of Cleveland using Watson as the starting QB in the 2026 season.

"I think they'll play Deshaun. I might be the only guy on Earth who thinks that Deshaun still has a chance. It has nothing to do with money; it has to do with ability," argued Baskin.

Browns' insider Mary Kay Cabot recently revealed that Watson was medically cleared and had already started his offseason training.

"Watson began working out with his private trainer in South Florida on Monday, and will begin throwing on Wednesday with his private quarterbacks coach Quincy Avery, and possibly some Browns receivers," said Cabot.

He is in the last year of a five-year, $230 million contract he signed back in 2022. Cleveland will pay him $46 million for the 2026 season, whether he plays or not. That's one of the main reasons why Monken is intrigued to see if he can play.

With rookies like Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel making their mark, Watson's place on the roster is no longer guaranteed.

Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson are in a QB battle

In Deshaun Watson's absence, rookie Shedeur Sanders got a chance to play.

In seven starts, Shedeur Sanders racked up 7 touchdowns and 1,400 passing yards. While the numbers flatlined due to 10 interceptions and 23 sacks, the rookie flashed serious spark under pressure.

Meanwhile, Watson has only started in 19 games for the Browns in three years. He scored 19 touchdowns for 3365 passing yards, but had a poor record of 9-9-0 and failed to lead them into the playoffs.

Back in December, Sanders praised the veteran for helping him behind the scenes.

“Well, I’d say for sure, what we do in the meeting room, we keep to ourselves. Y’all able to see what we able to do in public and whatever, but whenever we're in the building, we kind of keep that between us."

Who do the Browns fans want to see as the starting QB next season? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Kalp Thaker

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi