The air in Berea is heavy right now. If you're a Cleveland Browns fan, you've probably spent the last few weeks staring at draft boards and salary cap spreadsheets until your eyes bled. Honestly, it’s a lot to process. The team just fired Kevin Stefanski, they’re hunting for a new head coach—potentially a heavy hitter like John Harbaugh—and the quarterback situation? Well, it’s basically a massive logic puzzle where all the pieces are slightly melted.
Here is the reality of the cleveland browns qb news that’s actually happening: we’ve got a $230 million veteran who hasn't played in over a year, a rookie who showed some late-season juice, and a draft slot that might be just too low to grab a true "franchise" savior.
The Deshaun Watson "Stuck" Factor
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the $80.7 million elephant.
Deshaun Watson is still here. General Manager Andrew Berry was pretty blunt about it recently: they "anticipate" him being on the roster in 2026. Does that mean he’s the starter? Not necessarily. But cutting him is almost impossible without nuking the team’s ability to sign, well, anyone else. His cap hit is scheduled to be an NFL record this year.
Watson spent all of 2025 on the sidelines. First, it was the right Achilles tear from 2024. Then, he retore it in January 2025. Two surgeries. That’s a lot for any athlete to come back from, especially a guy whose game relied on twitchy movement.
Interestingly, some insiders like Mary Kay Cabot have noted that Watson looked "the most talented" of any QB on the field during his brief practice window in December. The arm apparently still works. But let’s be real—we’ve heard the "he looks great in practice" story before. On the field, in actual games for Cleveland, he has a 33.1 QBR. That’s tied for last in the league with rookies. It’s a "swing and miss" as Jimmy Haslam put it.
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The most likely outcome? A restructure. They’ll kick the can down the road again, clear about $35 million in cap space for 2026, and hope he can at least be a bridge. Or a very expensive backup.
The Shedeur Sanders Experiment
While Watson was rehabbing, Shedeur Sanders was actually playing. The 2025 fifth-round pick started the final seven games of the season.
He went 3-4. Not amazing, but he won his last two games. That kind of late-season momentum matters in a building that’s desperate for good vibes. Sanders showed progress in his pocket management, but he’s still very much a "work in progress."
Andrew Berry praised his accuracy and playmaking, but the team isn't ready to hand him the keys yet. Tony Grossi and other local analysts are calling for a "quarterback competition." Sanders hasn't officially "earned" the QB1 spot for 2026, but with the news that Oregon’s Dante Moore is staying in school, Sanders’ stock just went up.
Why? Because the 2026 draft class just got a lot thinner.
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The NFL Draft Problem at No. 6
The Browns hold the No. 6 overall pick. Usually, that’s prime real estate for a quarterback. But 2026 is looking weird.
- Fernando Mendoza is likely going No. 1 to the Raiders.
- Dante Moore was the consensus No. 2, but he’s heading back to Oregon.
- Ty Simpson from Alabama is a name being tossed around, but is he a top-10 talent? Many scouts say no.
Basically, at No. 6, the Browns might be out of range for a sure-fire starter. They have a second first-round pick (thanks to the Jaguars), but the buzz right now suggests they might use those picks to fix the offensive line and receiving corps instead of chasing a third-tier QB prospect.
If they can't get a "guy" in the draft, they’re looking at a room of Watson, Sanders, and maybe Dillon Gabriel—who struggled in his six starts before the concussion—or a mid-round rookie.
What the New Coach Thinks
This is the real wild card in the cleveland browns qb news cycle. Andrew Berry has made it clear: the new head coach will have a massive say.
If the Browns land someone like John Harbaugh, do you think he’s going to let the front office force a quarterback on him? Probably not. A veteran coach will want "his guy." That could mean a trade for someone like Mac Jones (who has one year left) or even an aggressive move for a veteran like Kyler Murray if the Cardinals decide to move on.
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Right now, the offense is in shambles. It ranked 31st in scoring last year. Whoever takes this job isn't just fixing the QB; they’re rebuilding an entire identity.
Moving Forward: The 2026 Reality
So, where does that leave us?
The Browns are basically in a holding pattern until the coaching hire is finalized. Expect a lot of "competition" talk during minicamps. You’ll hear reports about how Watson’s arm looks like 2020 again. You’ll hear about Sanders’ "unshakable confidence."
But the reality is the cap situation limits what they can do. They are projected to be over the cap once you factor in the rookie class. They’ll have to restructure Watson and maybe Denzel Ward just to keep the lights on.
Actionable Insights for Browns Fans:
- Watch the Coaching Hire: If it’s a veteran like Harbaugh, expect a veteran QB addition. If it’s a younger coordinator, Sanders might get a legitimate "fair shake" at the starting job.
- Draft Strategy: Keep an eye on the offensive line prospects at No. 6. If the top two QBs are gone, Berry will likely pivot to protecting whoever is under center.
- The Watson Timeline: February and March are the key months for his contract. If they don't restructure by then, it’s a sign they might actually be considering the "rip the Band-Aid off" post-June 1 release strategy—though that’s a long shot.
The quarterback saga in Cleveland isn't ending anytime soon. It’s just entering a new, more complicated chapter.