Jimmy Haslam has reversed his stance on Deshaun Watson. This sudden change of heart is creating major concern for Shedeur Sanders' future as the Browns' potential starting quarterback in 2026.

On Tuesday, Ari Meirov shared an X post detailing Haslam, the Cleveland Browns franchise owner’s stance on a quarterback’s journey.

“There are a lot of quarterbacks who—it seems to be kind of the theme in the NFL—either started or did not start well and then take their team to a Super Bowl championship, right? And what a great story that is for Sam Darnold," read the X post shared by Meirov.

In the statement, Haslam then went on to cite Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold as the prime example of why Deshaun can still shine.

"Deshaun started great, and the year before we signed him, he was rated the second-best quarterback in the NFL," Haslam reportedly said. "Then the suspension and the injuries and all that piled up. Can he come back from that? He certainly had the ability at one point in time, and we’re cautiously optimistic. But we’ll see.”

Compared to the Haslam who once said that bringing Watson had been a "swing and a miss," this certainly was a change of heart.

The Browns' 2021 signing of Watson generated significant league and media attention. He was returning to the league after serving a suspension for an off-field matter.

The Browns had traded him from the Houston Texans in hopes that he would turn the Browns into a formidable force. For that, they offered him a guaranteed five-year contract worth $230 million. 

While the NFL has certainly witnessed bigger contracts, the Browns had offered him the largest guarantee in the league’s history at that point.

The investment wasn't without assurance. In the first four seasons of his career, he had scored 104 touchdowns for 14,537 yards. In 2020, the season Haslam was referring to was Watson’s career best.

However, since his move to the Browns, Watson played in 19 games and spent time off the field, thanks to his two ACL injuries. In those 19 games, he scored 17 touchdowns against 12 interceptions for 3,365 yards.

After the Browns went 3-14 in 2024, Haslam called Watson a “swing and a miss” trade. 

But clearly, his disappointment has subsided, and the Seattle Seahawks can take credit for it. They brought in Darnold despite his dud years between 2021 and 2024 across three franchises.

While Darnold's story is an inspirational one, it has become a hurdle for Sanders. 

Shedeur Sanders Has to Compete With Not Just One, But Various Quarterbacks

Sanders’ rookie season did not end on a sweet note. The Browns went 5-12, and he contributed seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions for 1,400 yards.

His performance did not reflect that of a franchise quarterback. Head coach Todd Monken even stated that none of the quarterbacks have been reassuring and would have to earn the QB1 position. 

Now, Haslam’s renewed confidence in Watson would surely skew the “open competition” that would shape the 2026 season.

Until now, the 24-year-old appeared to be projected to battle for the position against fellow 2025 rookie Dillon Gabriel and a potential No. 6 quarterback pick (most likely Ty Simpson) from the 2026 NFL draft.

Ironically, Browns expert Chris Oldach championed Sanders against Watson and shot down Mike Garafolo's claim that Watson has the “pole position” to start in Week 1.

While nothing is concrete, Haslam’s admission is a game-changer. If he followed up with his hints, it would certainly make for thrilling stories. What do you think?

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote