Following the conclusion of mandatory minicamp, Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken made it clear that the quarterback competition will stretch deep into training camp. But Rich Eisen has predicted who will win that race.

During the Rich Eisen Show, Eisen suggested that Cleveland would likely give veteran Deshaun Watson the first opportunity to start before turning to Shedeur Sanders.

"I'm a Sanders caper. I cape for Deion and Shedeur a lot. I think at the end of the day, they're going to see Deshaun Watson and go, 'Alright, you came back from your Achilles. We've put so much into you. So much grief for the decision that we've made. We're going to see what we have in you before we move on,'" Eisen said, per BrownsNation.com.

In 2022, Watson signed a record $230 million guaranteed deal. However, injuries limited him to just 19 games over three seasons. He threw for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Given the massive investment the Browns made in Watson, it's no surprise reports suggest they want a return on it. But if Watson underperforms, Sanders will definitely get his chance to suit up.

"If the first half of the season doesn't go well enough, they're gonna be like, 'Then we need to see what we got in Shedeur.' Because, boy, do we have draft choices up the you-know-what over the next few drafts, including the quarterback-heavy one next year. You know that's the way it's going to go," Eisen added.

The statement has gained more traction because of Sanders' growing popularity among Browns fans. The former Colorado star was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders threw for 1,400 yards and 7 touchdowns last season.

Former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar suggested that Sanders has a realistic chance to emerge as the team's starter. 

"I wouldn't be surprised to see Shedeur get this opportunity early if he doesn't come out as the Game 1 starter,” Kosar said to Yahoo Sports in May. 

While Eisen focused on what he believes the Browns will do, many fans were far more interested in what they think the team should do.

Fans Overwhelmingly Push Back on Watson Prediction

Several fans argued that Watson has already received enough opportunities in Cleveland and should not automatically reclaim the job because of his contract.

“I don't understand why they would even consider a player who was statistically the worst QB in the league last year,” one fan wrote.

Many fans believe that the franchise would be better served by evaluating a young quarterback rather than returning to a veteran who has struggled to stay on the field.

“Ridiculous. The Watson experiment must end along with the Haslams. A losing track record in any other business, he would have been fired or bought out...time to sell,” another fan wrote.

Multiple commenters backed Sanders to win the job outright, citing his potential and the excitement he has generated among the fan base.

"It makes zero sense to play DW unless you think you will resign him, but I think that ship has sailed for both parties tbh. Shedeur will start," a fan commented.

When Watson was traded to the Browns, he was coming off the best year of his career. He completed 70.2% of his passes and threw for a league high 4,823 passing yards in 2020. Yet, fans feel that wasn't good enough.

"He was objectively the worst quarterback in the NFL, before the Achilles injuries. No thanks," a fan wrote.

"Really Rich? Is that what you’re thinking?" another asked.

The Browns have not yet confirmed their starting quarterback. Their decision is expected to provide a clear picture once they enter the training camps.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Evince Das

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore