Way back in time with the Texans, Deshaun Watson was a name synonymous with glory. Coming off three straight seasons of putting up impressive stats, he brought that same promise when he came to the Browns. But cut to 2025, and the Browns are caught between the shadow of a costly gamble and the promise of a new era. The QB competition has reached critical mass in the Browns’ locker room. And is Watson a part of that equation?

Deshaun Watson has been working hard on rehab, training with his personal QB coach, and hinting at a comeback. But even with that alpha mentality, things aren’t looking great for him. Jimmy Haslam’s “big swing and a miss” wasn’t just a cautionary tale. It was a $230 million lesson in what not to do. Three whole seasons of hoping he’s ‘the guy’. But two Achilles tears in less than a year and some shaky performance later, the Browns might just be done with the waiting game. The 3-14 record last year left no speculations, and insiders now believe Watson’s drawing the short straw.

Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot believes Deshaun will still be a part of the franchise when 2026 rolls around. But only because of the financial aspect of the deal. As Cabot wrote, “It’s conceivable that Watson will be on the roster again next season, because even if the Browns waited until June 1 to release him, they’d still carry $80 million in dead money. A post-June 1 trade in 2026 would save them $46 million on the cap. But they’d still have $34.7 million in dead money that year, and almost $26 million, $17 million and $8 million over the following three years.” With the cap they save, Cabot believes the Browns could go for a new QB next year. The Browns acquired a 2026 first-round pick from the Jaguars this year. That makes two first-round picks for a draft class brimming with QB talent. 

Watson’s not in the picture for the Browns’ future. But there are still other pools of potential in the QB room. As Cabot writes, “If [Dillon] Gabriel and [Shedeur] Sanders show great promise this season, the Browns could conceivably have a mostly low-budget, high potential QB room next season with Watson possibly still serving as the veteran presence for his final year here.” The new rookies have become sponges to learn from the veterans. And for Watson, navigating uncertainty, there’s a bigger role that he’s now stepping into. One that benefits Sanders greatly.

Shedeur Sanders winning with Watson and Deion’s support

When the ‘24 season rolled around, fans weren’t happy with the numbers Watson was putting out. Fans unleashed a wave of boos at Deshaun Watson during pregame introductions in the Browns’ Week 7 matchup against the Bengals. But some of those boos actually turned into shocking cheers when Watson got injured and had to be carted off the field. At the postgame presser, Myles Garrett had fired back at the crowd for their disrespect. He had notably said, “We don’t boo guys that are injured on the field, especially with the instance when the cart comes out. – We should be ashamed of ourselves as Browns and as fans to boo anyone on their downfall – to be a season-altering, career-altering injury.” And Garrett wasn’t alone in his support of Watson.

At the time of Watson’s injury, Deion Sanders had notably shared his support for him. Coach Prime had shared prayers for Watson with a tweet – “Praying for Deshaun Watson fervently.” And now, Watson is gearing up to return the favor. As Cabot further added in her take, Watson “has also taken Shedeur Sanders under his wing to help him come up the learning curve quickly, and it’s been working. – Watson is only too happy to repay the favor.”

Watson’s mentorship for Shedeur comes at a time when the rookie is navigating legal troubles following two speeding incidents. Watson’s support gives Shedeur a fresh spark and a glimpse of what’s coming next. The rollercoaster QB ride is far from over for the Browns. Can Shedeur at least be back on the QB1 track with Watson in his corner? We’ll find out when the season begins.