The Cleveland Browns made it clear that their second preseason contest against the Buffalo Bills would play a big role in determining whether Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders would win their starting quarterback job. Considering how the team ended up suffering a 31-7 loss on Saturday, though, that should tell you right off the bat that the offense did not experience much success.
For all intents and purposes, Watson has been the frontrunner for this job all summer long. However, he struggled mightily against Buffalo (5/12, 36 YDS, 1 INT), and he ended up getting thoroughly outplayed by Sanders (9/11, 74 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT). With a decision on the horizon, one NFL insider believes that Watson may have actually lost the starting job for himself with his performance in this game.
Deshaun Watson May Have Just Lost the Browns’ Starting Quarterback Competition
While the Browns also have Dillon Gabriel at their disposal, head coach Todd Monken made it clear that the quarterback battle would be between Watson and Sanders. A former three-time Pro Bowler, Watson is attempting to come back from a year-and-a-half layoff after suffering a pair of Achilles injuries, while Sanders is looking to entrench himself as the team’s quarterback of the future.
The problem is that neither guy appears to be a home run pick. Even before his aforementioned injury woes, Watson was a shell of himself during his first action with Cleveland, which makes it unlikely that he will ever be the player he once was. And yet, while Sanders has upside, he hasn’t done anything to snatch the job away from Watson.
It’s left Monken and the coaching staff in a tough spot, and things certainly won’t get easier after Watson’s horrific performance against the Bills’ defense, which was fielding second- and third-string players. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, a decision on the starting quarterback could be made by Monday, with Watson’s struggles set to be taken into account.
“The feeling out of Cleveland … was that Deshaun Watson had some momentum, that he had a couple of good weeks here, stacked some good plays together, he was getting some prominent reps in the practices,” Fowler said on “SportsCenter.” “Now, the Browns have to weigh what happened on the field with Watson and also what he said in that press conference. Is he in a good space to be the leader for this team?”
Who Should the Browns’ Starting Quarterback Be?
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – AUGUST 22: Shedeur Sanders #2 and Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns warm up prior to a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field on August 22, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Regardless of who wins the starting job, it’s not going to change the fact that the Browns are going to be one of the worst teams in the league. Cleveland needs a reason for optimism, though, which is why making the right choice is so important. There simply may not be a right choice, though, as neither guy has run away with this job.
Watson has been the more consistent performer overall, and while his poor preseason performance isn’t a good look, it is worth noting he was running with the Browns’ second-team offense in this game. Giving Watson the first crack at starting still makes the most sense, but he will likely have a short leash, which could mean Sanders will find his way onto the field sooner than expected, even if he doesn’t win the starting job.
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