Key Takeaways
- The Cleveland Browns named Deshaun Watson their starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders for the season opener against Jacksonville.
- Coach Todd Monken said Watson’s full offseason body of work gave Cleveland its “best chance to move the ball and score points,” despite his uneven preseason.
- Watson returns after missing 2025 with Achilles injuries, while Monken praised Sanders’ progress after the former fifth-round pick went 3-4 in seven rookie starts.
The Cleveland Browns have made their call at quarterback. Deshaun Watson will start the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, beating out Shedeur Sanders after a months-long competition that stretched from offseason workouts through the preseason.
According to The New York Times, head coach Todd Monken announced the decision on Monday, August 24, saying Watson’s full body of work ultimately gave him the edge.
“Deshaun is going to start against Jacksonville,” Monken told reporters. “I took in the full body of work over the course of the offseason, from training camp to the games, the joint practice, and ultimately felt like to start the season on the road, Deshaun gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points.”
The choice gives Watson another opportunity in Cleveland after missing the entire 2025 season while recovering from Achilles injuries. His last regular-season appearance came in October 2024, when he tore his Achilles before suffering another tear months later during his rehab.
Watson’s return to the top of the depth chart comes after an uneven preseason. Against the Buffalo Bills, he completed 5 of 12 passes for 35 yards with an interception while playing against backups. He was booed by Browns fans and afterward said he believed the reaction went beyond his performance.
“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance,” Watson said. “It’s a little bit more personal than that.”
Two days later, Watson apologized for those comments, saying his emotions had gotten the better of him.
“My comments wasn’t intending to go at any of the fans around in the city,” he said. “I know the frustration. This organization has put a lot of investment in coming to get me back in ’22, and things haven’t been going the right direction that we thought it was.”
That investment remains enormous. Cleveland acquired Watson from the Houston Texans in 2022 for a package that included three first-round picks before signing him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. Since then, he has appeared in only 19 games for the Browns.
Sanders, meanwhile, made the competition considerably tighter than it once appeared. The former fifth-round pick began his rookie season down the depth chart before eventually starting seven games, going 3-4 while throwing for 1,400 yards across eight appearances.
Monken acknowledged his progress. “I think Shedeur has done a great job, come a long ways and we are excited about his future,” the coach said.
That follows an offseason in which Sanders repeatedly generated headlines. He earned a Pro Bowl replacement selection, graduated from the University of Colorado, returned to his familiar No. 2 jersey, and reportedly generated a record $17.7 million in NFLPA group licensing income.
