The Cleveland Browns have yet to decide who will be their QB1 in the 2026 NFL season. Now, a prominent team journalist is warning the franchise to avoid repeating past mistakes, as the Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson debate rages.

Browns beat journalist Mary Kay Cabot has warned the NFL franchise to trim down the options to at least two. In her recent report, she wrote:

"The Browns can’t afford to head into training camp with a four-way competition for the second straight season. They must try to identify their QB1 and QB2 in the offseason program and minicamp, and let those two battle it out at the most."

That is how they operated last season as well, with Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in training camp. But at that time, Watson was recovering from his injury. Now he has already started training with his personal coach. So, who could be the two QBs the Browns look at?

Cabot said, "If camp started today, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders would be competing for the starting job, but Todd Monken and Andrew Berry have both said they’ll also look outside for a QB." Todd Monken's preference for certain quarterbacks could work in their favor.

Monken has already made it clear that we wanted to draft Sanders when he (Monken) was with the Ravens. And there have also been reports that he has shown interest in Deshaun Watson. But both Andrew Berry and Monken have publicly talked of getting a new QB as well.

A day after the Browns played their last game of the season, Berry had said, "We’re going to do our work on the quarterback market. It’s too important of a position, and it’s something that has to be solidified." Monken has echoed that sentiment.

Are Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson the Browns’ Only Options?

The Browns hold the sixth overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. This could make it difficult for them to secure a top quarterback prospect. They may still have a chance to land Garrett Nussmeier from LSU, but the key debate would be whether he’s a better option than Shedeur Sanders.

Then there's Malik Willis in the free agency, who has been the backup QB for the Green Bay Packers. On top of that, they might have to pay him around $20 million per year, which might not be vice choice given Deshaun Watson's $86m cap hit in the 2026 season.

Dillon Gabriel threw for 937 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in 10 games. The Browns also lost 9 games with him. What do you think, can they bring another QB, or should they go with Watson and Sanders?

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Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi