Let’s be real for a second: the Cleveland Browns quarterback room is a total fever dream. If you told a fan two years ago that by January 2026, the team would be debating a fifth-round pick with a famous last name versus an $80 million cap hit sitting on the bench, they’d probably have asked you to leave the bar. But here we are. The shedeur sanders browns qb competition isn't just a training camp battle; it’s a full-blown identity crisis for a franchise that can't seem to find its North Star.
Andrew Berry, the Browns' GM, basically admitted as much during his end-of-season presser on January 5th. He told reporters he couldn't say if the 2026 starter was currently on the roster or not. That’s a wild thing to hear when you have three quarterbacks under contract, but that’s Cleveland for you.
Why Shedeur Sanders is Actually the Frontrunner (Sorta)
Shedeur Sanders didn’t exactly set the world on fire in 2025. He was a fifth-round pick—number 144 overall—and started the year as the fourth option. He only got his shot because everything else broke. But he finished the season as the starter, going 3-4 over the final seven games.
Honestly, the numbers were a mixed bag. He threw for about 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns but tossed ten interceptions. That’s a lot of picks. Yet, he won his last two games. In the NFL, winning cures almost everything. Sanders has that "it" factor that his dad, Deion, made famous, even if his arm strength is more "average" than "elite."
The real reason he’s trending toward the QB1 spot? The alternatives are terrifying.
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Dante Moore, the Oregon star everyone thought would be a top draft pick this April, decided to stay in school. That move, which he announced just yesterday, January 14th, 2026, completely nuked the Browns' plans to draft a "sure thing" at number six. If you can't draft a savior, you're stuck with the guys you've got.
The $81 Million Problem Named Deshaun Watson
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the $81.7 million elephant. That is Deshaun Watson’s projected cap hit for 2026. It is an NFL record, and not the kind you want.
Watson hasn't played a meaningful snap in forever. He spent 2025 recovering from an Achilles injury. While Mary Kay Cabot from Cleveland.com reported that Watson looked like the "most talented" guy on the field during a brief practice window in December, nobody actually expects him to be the long-term answer anymore.
The Browns are basically "stuck" with him. They can’t cut him because the dead money would implode the team's entire budget. So, the shedeur sanders browns qb competition might actually include Watson as a "bridge" veteran, which is a hilarious sentence to type given his contract.
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- The Shedeur Case: He's cheap, he’s young, and he’s a Berry draft pick.
- The Watson Case: You're paying him $46 million in base salary anyway, so you might as well see if there's any magic left.
- The Veteran Route: Names like Mac Jones or even a return of Joe Flacco have been floated, but do they really move the needle?
A New Coach Means New Rules
Everything changes once the Browns hire a replacement for Kevin Stefanski. If they land a big fish like John Harbaugh—who is rumored to be interested—the whole depth chart might get tossed in the trash.
A new coach doesn't care about Andrew Berry’s 2025 draft picks. They care about winning now so they don't get fired like the last guy. If a new regime comes in and likes Dillon Gabriel (the other rookie they took in 2025) more than Shedeur, the "Sanders Era" could be over before it truly starts.
Gabriel actually beat out Shedeur for the backup job early in the 2025 season, let's not forget that. The only reason Shedeur jumped him was because Gabriel struggled when he finally got the nod. It’s a literal carousel.
The Realistic 2026 Depth Chart
Right now, if you look at the projections from RotoWire and Draft Sharks, the pecking order looks something like this:
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- Shedeur Sanders (The "Incumbent" by default)
- Dillon Gabriel (The challenger who needs a big spring)
- Deshaun Watson (The expensive backup/rehab project)
What the Browns Should Do Next
If you’re a fan or just following the chaos, keep your eyes on the veteran trade market. The 49ers might move Mac Jones, and he’s only owed about $4.6 million in 2026. That’s pocket change for a quarterback. If Cleveland trades for a vet like that, it signals they don't believe Shedeur is ready for the full-time gig.
Key things to watch in the coming weeks:
- The Head Coach Hire: This is the domino that knocks everything else over.
- Free Agency (March): If Berry signs a guy like Marcus Mariota or Russell Wilson, Shedeur is officially in a battle for his life.
- The Draft (April): Even with Moore staying in school, will the Browns reach for Ty Simpson or Fernando Mendoza at pick number six?
The shedeur sanders browns qb competition is going to be the loudest story in Cleveland this summer. Shedeur says he’s confident, and he’s definitely got the "Legend" brand behind him, but in the NFL, confidence doesn't stop a pass rush. He’s going to have to prove that those two wins at the end of 2025 weren't just a fluke.
If he doesn't, the Browns will be right back here in 2027, probably scouting Arch Manning while they finally cut ties with Watson. It's a tough cycle to break.
Keep an eye on the official Browns' coaching search announcements. The moment a new name is on the dotted line, we'll know exactly how much "input" they have on Shedeur's future.