Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel were two of the three quarterbacks used by the Cleveland Browns in the 2025 NFL season, along with Joe Flacco. While Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals during the season, Sanders and Gabriel were retained heading into 2026. However, it was Sanders and Deshaun Watson who were involved in an intense quarterback battle during the offseason as Todd Monken looked to find his QB1.
The quarterback competition between Watson and Sanders ended with Monken naming Watson the starting quarterback for the Browns in their season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, it wasn’t confirmed whether Watson would remain the Browns’ starting quarterback throughout the entirety of the 2026 NFL season.
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NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport had reported that Sanders could potentially start the Browns’ home-opener against the Carolina Panthers, if Watson failed to meet expectations in the first two games. Watson’s start was far from perfect, as he struggled to find any sort of rhythm in the first regular-season game against the Jaguars, which the Browns lost 34-10.
There were even calls from fans to replace Watson after the game. The veteran handled all the pressure and made a noticeable comeback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and in the Browns’ most recent clash against the Panthers. Watson’s performances have made it less likely for Sanders to start games for the Browns in the near future.
With Watson locked in as QB1, there have been trade rumors surrounding Sanders. Initially, Mary Kay Cabot and Cleveland.com reported that the Browns had no plans to trade Sanders. But, an unexpected report by Jeremy Fowler appeared to add another layer to the situation.
Fowler reported that the Browns “would probably welcome a deal at the right price” for Sanders. This comes as a surprise given that Sanders hasn’t gotten the chance to prove himself, and with Watson having only one year left on his contract, the situation becomes even more surprising.
The Browns and Watson are gearing up to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth game of the season on Thursday.
