Browns Face Familiar Quarterback Questions Heading Into 2026
The Cleveland Browns wrapped up last season with the same question they started with: Who’s the quarterback of the future? After 17 games, the answer is still up in the air.
Shedeur Sanders brought some intrigue in his rookie campaign, but didn’t exactly light the league on fire. And with limited cap space and a thin quarterback market, the Browns may be stuck running it back with the same cast under center.
According to team insider Mary Kay Cabot, unless Cleveland pulls off a surprise move, the quarterback competition this offseason is shaping up to be a two-man race between Deshaun Watson and Sanders. Speaking on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast, Cabot noted, *"It's not a great year, once again, to be needing a quarterback, and unless they have something up their sleeve that we do not know about, I think that they are potentially going to be looking at Deshaun Watson vs.
Shedeur Sanders." *
That’s not exactly the kind of news that inspires playoff dreams. Watson hasn’t looked like the player Cleveland thought they were getting, and Sanders, while talented, still has a lot to prove after a rocky rookie season.
Behind them, Dillon Gabriel is expected to serve as the emergency or third-string option. But no matter who wins the starting job, new offensive coordinator Todd Monken likely won’t hesitate to make a switch if things go south. Monken’s known for maximizing talent, but he’s also not afraid to pull the plug if the offense stalls.
There’s also a possibility the Browns look to the later rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft for a developmental quarterback. Monken has a history with Miami’s Carson Beck from their Georgia days, and he’s shown he can groom young passers. Still, that’s more of a long-term play than a short-term fix.
So where does that leave Cleveland? The quarterback room isn’t striking fear into any AFC North rivals, but there are reasons for cautious optimism.
The Browns are expected to overhaul the offensive line this offseason, and they’ve got a rising star in the backfield in Quinshon Judkins. That points to a run-first approach - something Monken leaned into successfully during his time with the Baltimore Ravens.
If the line holds up and Judkins continues to develop, Cleveland could lean on the ground game to take pressure off whoever’s under center. That formula won’t win a shootout with the Chiefs, but it could be enough to keep the Browns competitive in a tough division.
And while Sanders didn’t dazzle in Year 1, there’s always the possibility of a second-year leap. We’ve seen young quarterbacks make big strides before. If he can settle in, read defenses more consistently, and take care of the football, he could force the Browns to rethink their long-term plans.
But make no mistake - unless something changes dramatically, the Browns are likely eyeing 2027 as the year to find their true franchise quarterback. Whether that comes through free agency or a deeper draft class remains to be seen. For now, Cleveland’s quarterback situation is less about excitement and more about making the best of a tough hand.