The Cleveland Browns will wrap up voluntary OTAs next week before holding mandatory minicamp from June 9-11 in Berea. Coming out of the mandatory minicamp, the Browns may have a starting quarterback named. 

Cleveland is looking at either Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders as the starting quarterback to start the 2026 season. Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green round out the room for the Browns, but it’s Watson and Sanders pushing for the starting job. 

More buzz around Deshaun Watson landing the starting QB job for the Browns 

All of the noise going around has the Browns handing the keys to the offense to Watson in Todd Monken’s first year at the helm. Bleacher Report has dropped a prediction where they believe it’ll be Watson winning the job. 

 At this point, many Browns fans simply want the Watson era, which has been mired in controversy and disappointment, to be over,” Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport wrote. “But Monken had no part in any of that mess; his job is to win games in 2026. And if Watson is healthy, he gives the Browns the best chance to do that. It’s been a while, but Watson has shown that he can be a capable NFL starter.”

Watson missed all of last season and 10 games during the 2025 season due to an Achilles injury. The veteran quarterback has never played more than seven games in a season with the Browns, and has played in just 19 games overall in four seasons with Cleveland. If the Browns roll with Watson, it’s purely because they believe he gives them the best chance to win. 

The fresh start in a new offensive system could be of benefit for Watson. Before he’s a free agent next year, Watson needs to put some good quarterback play on tape in Cleveland ahead of his next contract opportunity. 

Don’t count out Shedeur Sanders in the Browns’ QB race 

The Browns can not count on Watson to play a full season, or even close to one. His time in Cleveland has shown he’s inconsistent when being on the field between suspension and injuries. Each of the last two seasons the former first-round pick has suffered season-ending injuries. The rest of Cleveland’s QB room has to be ready to play. 

Sanders was 3-4 as a starter for the Browns last season and threw seven touchdown passes to 10 interceptions. There were some bright spots with the former fifth-round pick, but there were some really low spots as well. The good news is Monken’s already seen improvement from the second-year guy. 

“I think Shedeur’s come miles in terms of his progressions, getting the ball out, his understanding of concepts,” Monken said on Wednesday afternoon. “I think he’s really, really come a long way.”