The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation is interesting, and it seems it could play out three different ways. On the team now, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders got the best chance to be the Week 1 starter. But it’s possible the Browns still add at the position. 

Cleveland could opt to add another young quarterback to the room that includes second-year QB Dillon Gabriel as well. If neither Sanders nor Watson is the Week 1 starter, it’s likely a rookie has won the job. 

The most interesting dynamic in the room is Watson getting another chance to start in 2026 after missing all of the 2025 season. Even Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is on board with the possibility of Watson. 

Jimmy Haslam’s Deshaun Watson comment is catching plenty of attention  

“Deshaun has a great chance, fresh start, an offensive-minded coach, who has in his past been able to work with all kinds of different quarterbacks and make them successful,” Haslam said on Monday. “Deshaun has a great chance to do that now. We talked to him the other day, and he said he weighs the [least] he has in several years. He is in great shape, he’ll be [in Cleveland] on April 7 when we start [OTAs]. Let’s see what Deshaun can do. We’re all excited.”

Those are the exact things you want to hear from a team owner, unless he’s buried the player in the past by calling the move a failure. A year ago, Haslam’s comments around Watson were very different when he wasn’t healthy and it looked as if he would never suit up for the Browns again. 

“We took a big swing and missed with Deshaun,” Haslam said this time last year. “We thought we had the quarterback, we didn’t and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole. (The trade) was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee and I, so hold us accountable.”

Cleveland can’t afford to cut Watson until next offseason at the earliest, so they’re forced to see what he can do at 30 years old. If he’s going to be on the roster and have a cap number of $44.9 million. The only thing working for the Browns with Watson is that he’s likely playing for his NFL career at this point. Another contract may be hard to come by unless he shows some capability with the Browns. 

Last time out, Watson started seven games for the Browns in 2024 and went 1-6. Watson completed 63 percent of his passes for just 1,148 passing yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions two seasons ago. 

Still, Haslam’s comments have caught the fanbase off guard and they should. Simply not saying what he did about the Watson trade a year ago would have been the best bet. Such a comment should be made after Watson’s off the team, not when he’s in a position to potentially be the starting quarterback of the team once again.