Once again, the Browns are staring at a quarterback situation that feels more like a revolving door than a plan. Deshaun Watson is set to open the season as the starter, but Cleveland’s recent track record makes one thing pretty clear: the Week 1 guy usually isn’t the Week 18 guy.
That uncertainty is part of the problem, but it also opens the door to possibility. FanSided’s latest quarterback rankings lay out several names who would look like upgrades, even if Cleveland actually acting on any of them is another matter entirely.
The current Browns group doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the rankings, either. Watson comes in behind Shedeur Sanders, with both players placed in the “high-ceiling backups” tier.
Sanders is No. 37 with a 5.34 score, while Watson sits five spots lower at 4.96. Dillon Gabriel checks in at No. 73 with a 3.4 score, and Taylen Green lands at No. 80 with a 2.66 score in the “marginal roster QBs” tier.
At this point, the state of the room is obvious enough. The more interesting question is what Cleveland could do next if it wants to find a better short-term answer.
Three former Browns are ranked ahead of the team’s current quarterbacks: Jacoby Brissett, Joe Flacco, and Jameis Winston. All three would represent an upgrade, though Brissett and Flacco are hard to picture back in Berea.
Winston, though, fits more cleanly. He just signed a two-year contract extension with the Giants, but he also worked in Todd Monken’s offense with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The fit would come with the usual Winston volatility, but it would also bring the kind of chaos that can make a team impossible to ignore, especially with Cleveland’s new group of playmakers.
If the Browns don’t want to circle back to familiar faces, FanSided’s list points to other possible options such as Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., and Geno Smith.
Still, the more realistic path may be internal. Cleveland could wind up trying to move Gabriel or Green before the trade deadline instead of chasing an outside quarterback this season.
There’s at least a version of this that makes sense. The Browns should still have a strong defense, and their young offensive playmakers bring promise. They could easily drop a few close games because of shaky quarterback play and still do enough to convince the front office to patch the position again with a bridge starter before hunting for the quarterback of the future in 2027.
They did make the playoffs with Joe Flacco at quarterback and not much else on offense. Maybe that’s just optimism talking, but maybe Cleveland can still give its fans something they’ve been waiting for in 2026.
In Other News...
Browns QB Pressure Is Building Faster Than Fans Expected
With Week 1 approaching, the Browns quarterback conversation is already drifting well beyond the usual backup chatter. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has been weighing the possibilities behind Deshaun Watson, including rookie Taylen Green as a candidate for QB2 and the chance that Shedeur Sanders could wind up inactive when the season opens.
Watson is still the starter, but the early part of the schedule is going to shape how long that remains unquestioned. The larger intrigue is what happens if the offense stumbles out of the gate, because Cabots reporting suggests Sanders could become part of the mix sooner rather than later if Watson does not deliver early. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Made A Cornerback Decision Fans Will Hate
The Browns continued to shuffle their cornerback room by signing Noah Igbinoghene and sending undrafted rookie Michael Coats Jr. to the practice squad, a move that immediately stood out because Coats had turned heads in preseason action. Igbinoghene brings six years of NFL experience, but most of that resume has come with limited results and a heavy emphasis on special teams, which makes this more than a routine depth adjustment for a defense trying to sort out its back end.
For Cleveland, the decision also adds another layer to an offseason that has already sparked questions about how the team balances proven experience against the upside of younger players. Coats showed enough in the summer to at least put himself in the conversation, so moving him off the main roster suggests the Browns still see something different in how they want that spot handled. Whether this is a short-term reset or a sign of where the staff is leaning with its developmental priorities is the part that will keep fans watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Reopened A Backup QB Battle Behind Deshaun Watson
With the Browns working through the final stretch before Week 1, Todd Monken left the door open to a backup quarterback competition behind Deshaun Watson. The roster already has four quarterbacks on it, with rookie Taylen Green now in the conversation alongside Shedeur Sanders, while Dillon Gabriel is on injured reserve and not part of the immediate mix. Watson is coming back after multiple injuries, which has made the depth chart behind him a topic worth watching.
Monken said it is possible Cleveland could activate three quarterbacks on game day, though he stopped short of saying that will happen. That leaves the Browns with a little more uncertainty than teams usually want heading into the opener, especially with two young passers trying to carve out a role behind a starter still proving he can stay on the field. For now, the backup job remains unsettled, and the next few practices will matter for anyone hoping to dress on Sunday. [Read more 🡒]