The Cleveland Browns entered the 2026 season with hope of finally bringing stability to a quarterback room that has endured years of uncertainty. However, history repeated itself, as the race to the QB1 between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson became the story of the NFL offseason.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Watson, he was given the nod as a starter. A lot of people have raised question marks on this decision, as they feel he could lose his spot to Sanders eventually. A Browns reporter pointed out how this experiment would further make things difficult for the young QB.

“It’s unfair to Shedeur at that point. If this Deshaun thing is, at minimum, a four-week project, that’s an even deeper hole that Shedeur might be tasked with digging them out of,” said Browns’ reporter Nick Pedone on 92.3 The Fan.

“What a mess, to be talking about this, going into a season, where we’re already anticipating a whole because of how difficult the schedule is, but also because we genuinely have that little faith in the guy that decided to be their starter.”

Watson missed the entire 2025 season after suffering two Achilles injuries. Since signing with the franchise he has only appeared in 19 games as a Brown, posting a 9-10 record as a starter. He joined Cleveland in 2022 on a five-year deal worth $230 million.

Focusing on Pedone’s statement, Sanders is entering his second NFL season following his selection in the fifth round of the 2025 draft. He appeared in eight games as a rookie after Watson’s absence created an opportunity, but the Browns determined that Watson was the one who gave them a great start to begin with the 2026 season.

That decision does not necessarily mean Sanders has been abandoned.

“I think Shedeur has done a great job, come a long ways, and we’re excited about his future,” Monken said via Sports Illustrated. “But this is not a week-to-week decision.”

Monken has praised Sanders’ development and said the quarterback has “come a long way,” while also making it clear that Watson’s experience influenced the decision. The coach has insisted that the starting decision is not expected to become a week-to-week competition.

Last season, Sanders recorded 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and ten interceptions. He started as the No. 4 QB and then topped the No. 2 position when the Browns traded Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals at the start of October.

Still, the timeline creates the exact dilemma Pedone highlighted. Cleveland opens against the Jaguars before facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers. Watson may need several games to determine whether he can actually be a reliable starting QB.

An extended Watson experiment could put additional pressure on the team if early results do not meet expectations. Also in the preseason, he completed 16 of 27 passes for 162 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception, while Sanders went 15-of-22 for 153 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

For Sanders, the challenge is larger. If Watson struggles and Cleveland turns to the younger quarterback, Sanders could inherit a team already searching for answers.

That is why Pedone’s criticism raises a bigger question about the Browns’ direction: whether Cleveland is giving its young QB an actual opportunity or asking him to clean up another QB experiment gone wrong.