The Cleveland Browns have one of the most intriguing quarterback storylines heading into the 2026 season, with DeShaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders competing for the starting job. There’s been a lot of speculation on the outlook of the battle since the end of the Browns’ voluntary minicamp.
Cleveland sports analyst Tony Grossi believes the picture of the quarterback battle is far less complicated than some fans hope. Airing his opinion on ESPN Cleveland, Grossi outlined who he believes is leading the race as it stands amid the unclear situation surrounding it.
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“It’s my opinion that Watson will prevail,” Grossi said. “That’s not the coach’s opinion or a source’s opinion. It’s my opinion. That’s what I do. I believe if he’s healthy, he’ll be a better version of himself than we’ve seen yet. That doesn’t mean he’s an MVP candidate like he was in his heyday at Houston. I don’t know if he’ll ever be that quarterback again.
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“But I think he, physically, if he’s healthy, he’s in the best shape, according to everyone. Mentally, he’s in good shape to get over everything that went down the pipe. And we have a new offensive system and coach who, I think, respects what he used to be.”
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Tony Grossi’s opinion doesn’t align with the hopes of many Cleveland fans, who want to see Shedeur Sanders lead the offense next season, after ending the last one as the starter. However, it tallied with the inside report by Mary-Kay Cabot that DeShaun Watson is currently leading.
Analyst gives Shedeur Sanders a harsh reality check on QB race
Fox Sports analyst Mark Schlereth offered a blunt take on the Browns quarterback race heading into the 2026 NFL season. The three-time Super Bowl winner believes veteran DeShaun Watson is overwhelmingly likely to be an improvement for the team over Shedeur Sanders.
“The likelihood of [Deshaun Watson] elevating the franchise and being better than the guys you have behind him, that likelihood is 100 percent,” Schlereth said. “When you start talking about Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders — I don’t really care about the Shedeur fans.
“He was woefully inadequate in the time he had as the starter. You can sit there and say whatever you want as a Shedeur sycophant. The bottom line is there’s a lot of work to be done. And there’s a reason Stefanski didn’t want to play him, and it wasn’t that he was mad at Shedeur.”
Shedeur Sanders is entering his second season in the NFL, and there’s optimism in some quarters that he has what it takes to lead the offense despite his unimpressive outing last season. Nonetheless, DeShaun Watson has the veteran edge, despite missing the entire 2025 season to injury.
Edited by Farouk Yusuf
