As the Cleveland Browns training camp heats up, the quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders is nearing a defining moment. While momentum appears to favor the veteran, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky has sounded the alarm on overlooking Sanders.

“Starting anybody but Shedeur Sanders is d***. Deshaun Watson, I understand he's there, but he's played just 19 games in six years. During that span, he's also undergone shoulder surgery on his throwing arm and Achilles surgery,” said Orlovsky in his conversation with ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ on July 27.

Deshaun Watson has played just 19 of the Browns' 68 games since arriving in Cleveland, with just 19 passing touchdowns in that time. His tenure has been repeatedly derailed by injuries, with his latest being a rerupture of the Achilles tendon, initially ruptured in October 2024.

In his latest assessment, the NFL analyst raised a crucial question for the Browns.

“Because what are you going to do? If Deshaun plays well, are you going to pay him again? Shedeur Sanders should be the starting quarterback in Cleveland,” said ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky in his conversation with ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ on July 27.

The Cleveland Browns face a major quarterback dilemma. While Deshaun Watson remains financially tied to the team with a $41 million cap hit, his inconsistent performances and recurring injuries over the past few seasons have left Cleveland with a difficult decision.

That's perhaps also why Browns owner Jimmy Haslam labeled him 'a swing and a miss' last year in March.

Meanwhile, Shedeur Sanders' rookie season in Cleveland didn't go much better, as he managed just 1,400 passing yards and eight touchdowns, while being sacked 23 times.

However, it's worth noting that he was also playing behind an inconsistent offensive line that was ranked 31st by the PFF for the season.

During OTAs and minicamp, Watson appeared to have the edge, with many analysts expecting him to start the season. But as August arrives, many have changed their stance.

Shedeur Sanders gets the nod over Deshaun Watson

While speaking on The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima on 92.3 The Fan, analyst Jason Lloyd said he would much rather see Shedeur Sanders start over Deshaun Watson, urging Todd Monken to give the young quarterback a chance.

“If you’re gonna make me, if my options were Deshaun or Shedeur, I’ll take Shedeur every time,” Lloyd said. “I don’t see any path of any sort of future with Deshaun, so why even bother? But I don’t have a lot of faith in either of these guys.”

It's only natural that Lloyd is quite pessimistic about Watson. Interestingly, he missed 11 games in his debut season. On top of that, his $230 million contract has squeezed the Browns' salary cap.

“I have no interest in watching Deshaun Watson take another snap for the Browns,” he added. “There’s too much history, there’s too many skeletons, there’s too much baggage. I thought they should’ve moved on from him.”

The analyst believes that the Browns should go with Shedeur Sanders despite his disappointing rookie season, arguing that head coach Todd Monken should groom him into the franchise quarterback.

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote