Browns' Shedeur Sanders gets bad news about NFL future as starting QB

TL;DR

Shedeur Sanders faces challenges in securing a starting QB role for the Cleveland Browns as Deshaun Watson returns to health, complicating his NFL future.

Key points

Shedeur Sanders started as QB4 for the Browns
He got starts late in his rookie season
Deshaun Watson is returning to health
Watson has a path to win the starting job
Sanders faces an uphill battle for the future

Shedeur SandersDeshaun WatsonCleveland Browns

Browns' Shedeur Sanders gets bad news about NFL future as starting QB originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Shedeur Sanders was always going to have an uphill battle to be a long-term starting quarterback in the NFL.

He began his rookie season as the Cleveland Browns' QB4 before eventually getting starts late in the season. And now heading toward the 2026 NFL season, it might be complicated for Sanders again.

The problem is a returned-to-health Deshaun Watson.

Watson, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, has a path toward winning the starting job for himself.

"Deshaun Watson emerged from the Browns voluntary minicamp last week with an edge over Shedeur Sanders in the two-man quarterback competition - and has the inside track to be named the Browns QB1, sources tell cleveland.com," Cabot wrote on Wednesday.

MORE:Diego Pavia, Shedeur Sanders and an NFL QB problem that goes back to Tim Tebow

This was always going to be a fascinating battle.

Sanders was the shocking draft free fall to the fifth round in 2025. Watson is the most overpaid QB in NFL history.

The Browns can move on from Watson after the 2026 season, but for this year, he's still around.

New head coach Todd Monken likely wants to just win football games, and he'll use whatever QB he feels gives him that chance.

Q&A

What challenges does Shedeur Sanders face as a starting QB for the Browns?

Shedeur Sanders faces an uphill battle to secure a long-term starting QB position due to the return of Deshaun Watson, who is expected to compete for the starting job.

How did Shedeur Sanders perform during his rookie season with the Browns?

Shedeur Sanders began his rookie season as the Browns' QB4 and eventually got some starts late in the season.

What is the current status of Deshaun Watson's health for the 2026 NFL season?

Deshaun Watson has returned to health and is on track to compete for the starting quarterback position for the Cleveland Browns.