Deshaun Watson’s rough start to Browns camp has already pushed the conversation beyond one bad practice. Former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum thinks Cleveland should stop waiting and see what Shedeur Sanders can do now.
On the "Pat McAfee Show," Tannenbaum said the Browns need to face the situation head-on rather than cling to Watson.
"It's a no-brainer," Tannenbaum said on Friday. "Pat, one of your responsibilities is you have to admit when you're wrong. ...
You've got to cut your losses ... And if I'm Todd Monken, I gotta know what I have in Shedeur.
Shedeur physically has all the measurables you want, has a good arm. We got to see what we have in him, because if we can win whatever it is, eight to 12 games with him, that could change our plan going forward.
"There's no way Deshaun Watson is part of this organization in 2027. We got to cut our losses, admit our mistake, and move on."
Watson helped fuel that debate with two interceptions during 11-on-11 drills in the Browns’ first padless session in Berea. Monken was asked about the mistakes on Thursday and didn’t hide his frustration.
"Thought it sucked, that's no fun, for him or for us on offense," he said.
The timing matters because Watson is in the final year of his five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal.
The skepticism around him has gone well beyond that one practice. The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd said he’s "not sure Watson is still capable of playing quarterback in the NFL" after seeing the early work in camp.
Watson has started only 19 games over four seasons in Cleveland and hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since October 2024, after a second Achilles injury ended his entire 2025 season.
Sanders has given the Browns something to evaluate, too. He went 3-4 in seven starts and, even with modest overall numbers, has kept himself in the mix. Lloyd noted that if Watson still beats Sanders for the job, it may reveal more about how Cleveland views Sanders’ future than about the day-to-day practice battle.
Monken has said he wants a starter named relatively soon, though he has since backed off any hard timetable.
In Other News...
Browns QB Battle Took A Sloppy Turn At Camp Friday
The Browns fourth training-camp practice on Aug. 1 offered another look at a quarterback competition that is still very much taking shape, with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders both meeting with reporters before taking the field. The session had the usual camp mix of red-zone work, line play and player evaluation, but it also came with some early reminders that this is still a team sorting through rotation, health and execution as the quarterback battle unfolds.
Fridays work did produce some brighter notes, with defensive lineman Mason Graham drawing attention for a strong showing, but the overall tone of the practice was uneven. Several players were absent or limited, including guard Teven Jenkins, and the quarterbacks had their share of rough moments in a session that kept the focus on how quickly this offense can clean up the details while the competition remains open. [Read more 🡒]
Browns May Be Slow-Playing Spencer Fano At The Worst Time
Spencer Fanos first Browns camp has brought the kind of tug-of-war that usually says as much about roster building as it does about a single player. Cleveland has been rotating the rookie left tackle between the first and second units, alternating him with Dawand Jones as the staff tries to sort out where he fits and how quickly he can handle the jump into the mix with the starters.
Todd Monken has made it clear that rookies, even highly regarded ones, have to win their jobs rather than inherit them, and that approach puts Fano in a delicate spot at exactly the wrong time. There are already questions from some scouts about whether his frame and the move from right tackle to left tackle will complicate the transition, but the Browns still need a real look at him against the starting offensive line before they can know what they have. [Read more 🡒]