NFL Insider Predicts Surprising Browns Starter for 2026 — It’s Deshaun Watson

TL;DR

NFL insider Ian Rapoport predicts Deshaun Watson will be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in the 2026 season. Watson has been recovering from multiple Achilles injuries that sidelined him for the entire 2025-26 season.

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The Cleveland Browns will have a quarterback battle going into the 2026-27 NFL season. As of now, Cleveland has Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, and Dillon Gabriel under contract. However, which one has the leg up on starting for the Browns? An NFL insider dropped his prediction on who starts for the Browns in 2026.

“If I had to guess, and these are guesses, not reports,” Ian Rapoport said on the Rich Eisen Show. “My guess is Deshaun Watson.”

Watson hasn’t played in the NFL since he tore his Achilles on October 20, 2024 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 30-year-old quarterback later re-tore the same Achilles and underwent a second surgery on January 9, 2025, after experiencing a setback during his rehabilitation. This knocked him out for the 2025-26 NFL season.

Now, Watson has the opportunity to earn his starting job back in Cleveland. In March 2022, the Browns acquired Watson from the Houston Texans for three first-round picks, a third-round pick, and two fourth-round picks, paired with a fully guaranteed $230 million contract. It was a stunning decision by Cleveland.

Watson was then suspended for 11 games without pay and fined $5 million in August 2022 following accusations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions from over two dozen women. To this point, Watson has only started 19 games since he was traded to the Browns in 2022.

While Gabriel started games last season, the battle will likely come down to Watson and Sanders. Rapoport believes Watson’s talent will prevail, giving the Browns the best chance to win football games. If Cleveland goes with Sanders, it could be a sign of faith in his long-term potential.

For now, at least one NFL insider believes it will be Watson.

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Q&A

What injuries has Deshaun Watson suffered that affected his NFL career?

Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles on October 20, 2024, and later re-tore it, requiring a second surgery on January 9, 2025, which caused him to miss the entire 2025-26 season.

Who are the current quarterbacks under contract for the Cleveland Browns as of 2026?

As of 2026, the Cleveland Browns have Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, and Dillon Gabriel under contract.

What did Ian Rapoport say about the Browns' starting quarterback for 2026?

Ian Rapoport predicted that Deshaun Watson would be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in the 2026 season during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.