Deshaun Watson just crashed Shedeur Sanders’ dream and here’s why

Deshaun Watson stepped onto the Cleveland practice field on April 21 and claimed the first quarterback rep. That single deliberate move revealed exactly where this Browns quarterback competition truly stands today.

Watson missed the 2025 season after two separate tears to his right Achilles tendon. He has played only 19 games in four years with the Browns since the 2022 trade.

His 33.1 Total QBR ranks last among qualifying passers since he arrived in Cleveland. He completed 61.2 percent of his throws for 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions during that span.

“Deshaun has a great chance, fresh start, offensive-minded coach,” Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said recently, per ESPN. The reset arrives through new coach Todd Monken, whose spread concepts suit Watson better now.

Haslam called the trade that cost three first-round picks and $230 million guaranteed a miss. That public admission has not stopped Cleveland from giving Watson yet another starting opportunity.

Sanders started seven games as a rookie and finished with a 3-4 record. His 18.9 QBR ranks 5th worst among 696 quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts.

Those figures gave Cleveland ample reason to look past Sanders as the long-term franchise solution. Instead, the team embraced a player who has not spoken publicly in 19 months.

“I think it’s an open competition,” Monken told reporters at the NFL scouting combine this February. The practice structure suggests otherwise, as Watson took the initial reps during the voluntary minicamp.

Cleveland owes Watson $46 million in the final year of his guaranteed contract this season. A release next offseason would carry an $86.2 million dead cap charge, the second-largest ever.

“We’re probably more focused on performance and best players,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry stated. For Sanders, the path to the starting job has just gotten significantly steeper this spring.

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