The Cleveland Browns have spent training camp trying to determine whether Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders should start at quarterback. According to Madden NFL 27, the answer is a toss-up for all the wrong reasons.
EA Sports handed Watson and Sanders identical 69 overall ratings ahead of the game’s release. That leaves Cleveland as the only team in the NFL without a quarterback rated 70 or better.
The rest of the Browns’ quarterback room did not fare any better. Dillon Gabriel received a 67 overall rating, while sixth-round rookie Taylen Green checked in at 65.
Ratings in a video game will, of course, not influence coach Todd Monken’s decision. But they provide an unflattering snapshot of how Cleveland’s unsettled quarterback situation is viewed outside the building.
For comparison, Justin Fields, Gardner Minshew, and Anthony Richardson all earned ratings higher than the Browns’ quarterbacks. Watson and Sanders are tied with Dallas Cowboys backup Joe Milton and veteran Tyrod Taylor.
Deshaun Watson’s Madden Rating Reflects Steep Fall
Watson’s rating illustrates how far his standing has fallen since his three-Pro Bowl run with the Houston Texans. The 30-year-old still received strong marks for some of the physical tools that once made him one of the NFL’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks. Madden gave Watson an 88 for throw power, 84 for speed and 86 for agility. His 60 awareness rating and 74 deep-throw accuracy dragged down his overall grade.
Watson has played just 19 games since joining Cleveland in 2022, posting a 9-10 record with 19 touchdown passes. He missed all of last season after rupturing his Achilles and suffering another tear during his recovery. However, Watson said he feels healthy entering camp but acknowledged he is still working his way back into football shape.
“It’s been good,” Watson said on Aug. 1. “Been trying to stack each day. You can’t win all the days at once, so you take one day at a time, correct the mistakes you made and build from there.”
The final contract year also gives the Browns one last opportunity to salvage something from the fully guaranteed $230 million deal they gave him after the 2022 trade.
Shedeur Sanders Gets Small Boost After Rookie Season
GettyBEREA, OHIO – JULY 29: Deshaun Watson #4 and Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Cleveland Browns look to pass during Cleveland Browns Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 29, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Sanders climbed two points after opening with a 67 overall rating as a rookie in Madden NFL 26. The increase was modest after an uneven first NFL season. Sanders went 3-4 in seven starts, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
He flashed his upside during a 364-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Tennessee Titans but did not produce consistently enough to claim the job outright entering Year 2.
Watson and Sanders alternated first-team days during the opening week of camp, with Monken planning to use padded practices and preseason games to create separation.
“I just take it a day at a time,” Sanders said. “I focus on things I’ve got to get better at, focus on the things I’ve got to be more crisp at and understand the flaws that I have and keep improving that.”
Gabriel has also started to force his way into the conversation after making the most of his limited opportunities in camp. Monken said Gabriel has earned an increase in reps, although Watson and Sanders remain the primary contenders.
Browns QBs Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders Get Harsh Madden Rating