The Cleveland Browns are heading into the 2026 season with a lot of questions about their quarterbacks. The situation feels more confusing. It’s more like a puzzle than a team preparing for another season with solid answers. However, a familiar player becoming a free agent might be exactly what they need. Longtime Browns analyst Tony Grossi suggests a name to the front office.

“Could Josh Dobbs make a third landing with the Browns?” Grossi, a reputed ESPN analyst, posed a compelling question for the front office.

With the New England Patriots officially moving on from Dobbs this Monday, the “Passtronaut” is back in the free-agent pool. For a Cleveland team currently looking at the trio of Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson, bringing Dobbs back into the scene is starting to look less like a nostalgia trip and more like a strategic necessity.

Dobbs knows his way around the team. He served as the backup in 2022 and was to remain with the team for yet another season in 2023, until things changed with a last-minute trade to Arizona. For head coach Todd Monken, Dobbs offers a high-IQ, mobile option who can digest a playbook overnight.

While Shedeur Sanders remains the incumbent starter, his “NFL-readiness” is still under the microscope. Adding a veteran like Dobbs provides insurance, especially with the pressure on Monken to improve upon last year’s disappointing finish, where the team recorded just 5 wins and 12 losses. 

However, signing a veteran wouldn’t mean the Browns are done with their search. Even if they land a pro like Dobbs, Malik Willis, or Tanner McKee, all eyes remain on the 2026 NFL Draft. With two first-round picks (No. 6 and No. 24) in their pocket, the buzz connecting Cleveland to Alabama’s Ty Simpson is only getting louder.

The Browns take a heavier stance on the QB battle between Shedeur Sanders & Deshaun Watson.

The Cleveland Browns are taking a huge risk at the quarterback position in 2026. Instead of signing an experienced veteran during free agency, the team focused almost all of its money and energy on fixing the offensive line.

This means the team has little money to spend on the QB, leading to a direct battle for the starting job between Shedeur Sanders and the veteran Deshaun Watson.

But the situation wasn’t the same from the beginning. The team reportedly tried to avoid this uncertain situation by pursuing Malik Willis, but they were financially limited. 

Because they couldn’t fit a new high-priced passer into their budget, the team is forced to stick with the players they already have. Now, the franchise is caught between a high-priced veteran with a lot of baggage and a young rookie who is still learning the ropes.

For Deshaun Watson, the path back to success looks very difficult. Even if he wins the starting job, he will be 31 years old this fall and hasn’t played since October 2024. He is currently recovering from two Achilles repairs. Since it has been over five years since he played at an elite level, many people doubt he can ever become a top-tier NFL starter again.

Because Watson is such a big question mark, the Browns are hoping Shedeur Sanders can pull off a miracle. If Sanders becomes the starter, the team can use the extra money to build a strong roster around him. They are essentially praying that a better coaching system and stronger teammates will help him develop quickly, much like Jared Goff did after a rough start to his career.

In the end, this gamble will define the team’s future. If Sanders proves he can be a leader, the Browns will have a clear and affordable path forward.

However, if he fails and Watson cannot return to form, the team will be right back at square one, looking for someone new to lead the franchise.